


Gold's, Inc.

by afewmistakesago



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, No Magic AU, Office AU, cs is a side pairing, lots of fluff, modern day AU, their parts are skippable if you don't like them, very little angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-21
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-03-31 15:38:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 44,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3983539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afewmistakesago/pseuds/afewmistakesago
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle French is a down-on-her luck general manager at Gold’s Department Store. When an interview goes horribly wrong, she spills everything to a stranger on her airplane ride home. The stranger turns out to be the one and only CEO of her company, and the relationship that follows leads to both Belle and Lenox Gold deciding the right steps for their futures - and if they should be together or apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Turbulence

As Belle French waited for her boarding number to be called, she tried to convince herself things could be worse. It was getting difficult, however, because she had just experienced what was possibly the very worst business trip of her life. She probably didn’t even have a job when she returned to Storybrooke – in fact, she was sure of it.

Being the general manager for Gold’s Department Store wasn’t a huge accomplishment, but it paid her bills, and she was one of the youngest managers the chain had ever hired. She supposed it was because she had worked in retail there during high school and summers during college. The company runners had probably been waiting for her to return to the Storybrooke store with her Business Management degree to hand her the position. She didn’t hate the job, but she didn’t love it. It was stable, and that’s all she really needed. Working in the same town she had grown up in a store that was ten minutes away from her high school wasn’t exactly what she wanted, but employment was employment. Belle hadn’t figured out her true purpose yet, but being a manager was just supposed to be one stop on her way to somewhere.

She had gone on the trip to New York City to interview to be a regional manager who would oversee several of the stores in the Midwest area. Her office would be in Chicago, a fresh change from the antiquated Storybrooke. Maybe the horrid experience she had in New York should’ve been a warning. She should’ve called out of the interview before it even began.

She had arrived in New York a night before her interview, only to open her luggage and find her shampoo had spilled all over her clothes. She didn’t have time to do laundry, but the city was filled with stores, so finding a new outfit wasn’t a problem, it was just an expense she hadn’t counted on. It was also annoying that almost all over her possessions had shampoo all over them, but she managed to wipe off most of it. Everything she had in the bag just smelled vaguely of coconut and lime, now.

The morning of her interview, Belle put on her new pants suit and headed out of her hotel. She had overslept a little bit, so she was going to get lunch on the go and head straight to her interview. Belle picked the most cleanly hot dog stand she could, and got one with the works. She was standing by the cart, taking in the New York City scenery – she had only been once, as a little girl, and she could barely remember it. Just as she began to do a full turn around to take it all in, a bicyclist bumped in to her. She dropped the hot dog straight down her outfit. The pale blue shirt she was wearing was stained yellow with mustard, and her pants were splattered with relish. Locating the first store she could, she purchased a top to replace the one she had. There was no time to find pants that were her size, so they would just have to be stained.

Timeliness was one of Belle’s favorite things. When she stepped in to the posh headquarters of Gold’s, she hadn’t expected the people milling about the offices to look at her so smugly. She knew she was right on time, even a little early – her interview time was 1pm, and she showed up at 12:45, with her resume and ideas for creating sales lined up.

“My interview is at 1pm. I’m Isabella French,” she said, stepping up towards the receptionist’s desk.

“I’m sorry. You’re late,” said the woman at the desk, whose name plate read “Mallory Fireall”, eyes scanning over Belle’s uncoordinated outfit. “You were scheduled to be here at 11am.”

Belle whipped out her phone and scrolled through several spam e-mails in order to find the one from Gold’s Department Stores, Incorporated. Yep. She had misread that. The whole time, she just assumed the time she wrote down was correct. Why hadn’t she double checked?

“I am so sorry – I can’t believe I made that mistake. Is there any way I could reschedule?” Belle said, looking sincerely crushed at her missed opportunity.

The secretary pursed her lips. “Well, Mr. Gold is normally the one who does the interviews. He just left for the airport. Someone else might be here, I can see if they’ll do it.”

Mallory began clicking things on her computer and making hushed calls. Finally, she looked up at Belle with a tight smile. “Regina Mills, Mr. Gold’s second in command, will see you. Third office to the left,” she said, pointing towards a long hallway.

“Thank you so much. I still can’t believe I made that mistake,” said Belle with a shudder.

Belle tried to calm herself down as she made her way down to the office Mallory had directed her too. Being flustered wasn’t a good thing for an interview, but she couldn’t seem to catch a break. She knocked on the door hesitantly, and when nobody answered, she slowly pulled open the door.

Regina Mills sat at her desk, scanning a thick document with tiny font. Her walls were filled with photos of her and her family, and various certificates of accomplishments the company had made. She was the definition of a powerhouse, and Belle was intimidated. Noticing the newcomer in to her office, Regina looked up at Belle.

“Ahh, our no-show. Take a seat, Ms. French.”

Belle moved towards the chair opposite of Regina, and immediately began with an apology, which Regina cut off.

“We don’t tolerate tardiness, Ms. French. It’s not good form. However… we were particularly interested when you applied. You have been working for us since you were sixteen, is that correct?” Regina said as she reached for the files Belle had brought with her.

Belle nodded, “Yes, ma’am. And I feel I would do really well as a regional manager. You could look at my resume, and the sales at my store, along with some charts I created as to how we could maximize sales at all the Midwestern stores.”

“Why did you apply to work at Gold’s in the first place? What made you want to continue on with our company?”

Belle paused. Her mind was blank. There was a good answer for this, she knew, but it was like her mouth had become disconnected from her brain as she rambled a meaningless answered.

“Well… It was hiring when I was sixteen and I needed a job so I applied and the manager liked me, so I just kept working there and then in college it was just natural to come back, and then I had the degree to manage so… It just happened…”

“That’s nice.” said Regina, with a disapproving look on her face that was cut by a sudden fake smile. “Did you roll out of bed just before this interview?”

Belle started at Regina’s bluntness. “I had a little bit of a mishap with my lunch,” she said, looking down at her black pants, navy blue blazer, and the orange shirt (a gaudy color) she had purchased a few hours previous to being in Regina’s office. She was also positive her hair was falling out of the bun she had carefully teased it in to that morning. If regional managers had a look, it was certainly not what she had going on.

“Mr. Gold will be sorry he missed your interview, Ms. French,” said Regina, opening the folder Belle brought with her. Belle knew Regina’s sarcasm was thick, and she was thankful the CEO of the company was absent for this meeting. She wanted to slide down the chair she was in and exit the office and never come back. Just as she begun to think of escape routes, her stomach began to growl, loudly. Like a small whale. Regina looked at Belle with an expression that just read, _“really?”_ , and with another look at the next paper in Belle’s folder, her face went from stern to confused.

“Is this a joke, Ms. French?” said Regina, spreading out the documents Belle had brought with her. It was her resume and the charts she had poured over, all right. But they were covered with crayon scribbles, making them completely unreadable.

Belle’s hands went to cover her face, and she said in a horrified voice, “I babysit on my off days and he must’ve gotten a hold on the folder before I left for the airport. I don’t know how I didn’t notice, I can’t-“

“You babysit? Is your career in Storybrooke not your top priority?” Regina said, with her tone of voice making it clear she wasn’t impressed with Belle’s side job.

“It’s my friend Mary Margaret’s kid, and I just watch him when she’s tutoring, it really doesn’t affect my job at Gold’s at all, Ms. Mills,” said Belle, trying to save herself. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a bowl filled with little caramel candies, and her growling stomach forced her to reach for one. Her nervous shaking hand knocked over the dish, and the candies scattered across the floor. Regina sighed loudly. Belle moved out of her desk and on to the floor as she tried to clean up the candies she had spilled. She was mentally admonishing herself as Regina’s sharp voice made her look up.

“Ms. French, I had hoped you would prove yourself to me despite your initial failure to show up on time. Unfortunately, it really seems like you weren’t prepared for this interview at all,” Regina said, her voice firm, making her displeasure with Belle’s lackluster interview very clear.

“No, Ms. Mills, I was – I just – I should go,” Belle said.

“That’s a good idea. At Gold’s, we expect all of our employees to maintain a sense of professionalism and excellence. We’ll be in touch about your future with our company,” said Regina, turning to face her computer. “You can see yourself out.”

From there, Belle rushed out of the office and back to her hotel, throwing on her sweatpants and a t-shirt (which did indeed still smell like her shampoo). Looking at her watch, she shrieked and headed out of the hotel and straight for the closest taxi.

And now she was at the airport. She sat with her knees up, face buried in her arms. She was getting sick of the smell of her shampoo, and she couldn’t believe how big she had messed up that interview. How could she have made so many silly mistakes? Why didn’t she double check her documents and the time of her interview? She was so off her normally impeccable game, and there was no reason for it. It was inexcusable. Belle was unbelievably mad at herself, and she couldn’t believe she was about to have to sit on a plane with herself for two hours.

Her boarding number was finally called, and she sniffled as she handed the stewardess her ticket.

“It could be worse… It could be worse,” she repeated to herself in her head as she found her seat. It was a smaller plane, with two people on each side of the row. She hoped her seatmate was nice and didn’t make a lot of noise. She didn’t have to worry about that for too long, because soon enough an older man in a well-fitted suit sat down next to her.

“Good evening, dearie,” he said, with a voice that seemed familiar to her.

“Is it?” she replied, “I just can’t wait to be back in my own home.”

“Not much of a city girl, huh?” he said, turning to look at her.

“Ha. I just blew the only chance I had to change my life… But I won’t bug you with that story. I’m going to try and sleep, actually,” Belle said, and with that she turned her head towards the window and closed her eyes, fighting the headache that was beginning to creep up on her.

Soon enough, they were up in the air. Belle couldn’t sleep, but she didn’t feel like talking so she kept her eyes closed. It felt like it had been an hour when she decided to open her eyes, but her watch told her it was really five minutes since they had made the announcement about reaching altitude. She pulled out her phone and plugged in her headphones, only to find out they weren’t working. Of course. Worst plane ride ever.

“Can’t sleep?” the man next to her questioned, as a frustrated Belle her phone back in to her purse. He was reading a magazine on travel. It must be nice to be able to afford that suit and some exotic vacations.

“Not really. It’s okay,” Belle said, rummaging through her purse to pull out her Kindle. She opened it up to an old favorite, and settled back in to her seat.

Suddenly, the plane jolted and the “seat belts” button dinged on every row.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing some turbulence. Please remain seated, and we’ll let you know if we expect it to continue on for a while as soon as we know. We appear to be flying directly in to a thunderstorm,” said the flight attendant in a smooth and calming voice. Belle had never understood the patience that those employees had.

Belle’s heart began to pound. She couldn’t die on an airplane wearing ratty clothes that smelled like a fruity explosion. When word reached her family, they would just be upset that she hadn’t even gotten the job she had traveled for.

The plane hit another pocket, and she felt herself move up and down. Her breathing was getting quicker, and she instinctively reached her arm out over the man next to her. Quickly retracting it, she looked at him. He looked at her quizzically.

“I’m sorry. Whenever I’m driving, I have to reach my arm out over to protect my purse at sharp turns or something, and I guess it’s just muscle memory with the turbulence.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m glad you’ll protect me,” he said amusedly.

Belle couldn’t believe how embarrassing she was. “I’m just nervous,” she admitted.

“Don’t be. I’ve flown hundreds of times, and I’m still here. Nothing to worry about. I’m Lenox, by the way,” he said. He was clearly trying to comfort her, but Belle was in the worst mood in the world and even the fact he was being kind couldn’t lift her spirits.

“I’m Belle,” she said flatly.

“Like the princess? That’s great,” Lenox said. When Belle didn’t reply, he took another approach.

“Why don’t you tell me why you’re in such a rotten mood? It might help to talk about it.”

 _“Well”_ , thought Belle, _“what do I have to lose?”_


	2. Free Association

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After recounting her terrible day, Belle decides to go ahead and tell this stranger, Lenox, everything that comes to mind. After all, she may very well die on this plane and some things just need to said, right? Besides, there’s no way they’ll ever see each other again. She’s got nothing to lose. Belle tells Lenox about her boyfriend, spills some secrets, and reflects on the averageness of her life in Storybrooke.

The plane continued to stay in the sky, but every now and then another rocky shot of turbulence would send Belle’s stomach twisting. At least she still technically had her job, so she would be dying with some kind of dignity when the giant metal death trap finally crashed in some field. At least her headache had gone away, and after telling Lenox everything about her horrible, terrible, awful day, Belle couldn’t help but continue to tell the kind-eyed stranger next to her anything that popped in to her mind. Lenox had been particularly interested in talking about her job, but Belle dismissed that topic because she was almost certain she wouldn’t hold her position in a week. She had moved on to revealing other innermost thoughts and secrets, but at least if and when she hit her early demise, the words had finally been spoken aloud.

“And you know what?” Belle continued, “Bra shopping is just the worst torture. I think it’s a conspiracy. I have to buy them, and I have to pay an exorbitant amount of money for one flimsy piece of fabric that I’ll just have to replace in a couple months,” said Belle, looking outraged as Lenox just offered a small shrug. It wasn’t a topic he could relate to at all.

“Of course, you’ve got nothing to do with that. But I hate it,” Belle continued, “and you know what else I hate? Vegetables. God. I hate that I have to eat vegetables.”

“You don’t have to eat anything,” Lenox said.

Belle laughed, “I guess. But I’m cooking for two, and he’s kind of a health nut, so…”

“Oh… your….boyfriend?” said Lenox, looking at Belle’s hand for a ring.

“Yeah. His name is Will. We’ve been together since high school. He went to the local community college and became the local high school gym teacher. We live together…it’s good,” she said, sounding disinterested.

“Don’t sound so excited about him, dear.”

“It’s just… it’s been years. He still hasn’t proposed. I’ve imagined him proposing in every possible way, like, I even envisioned him picking me up from the airport today with a ring. He insists we’re practically married, so it doesn’t matter that we aren’t. I want to be married though, have a nice wedding and hyphenate my name and everything. But now we’ll die in a thunderstorm and I’ll never know if he ever wanted to marry me.”

“I’m sure he wants to marry you. You seem lovely,” said Lenox in a reassuring voice.

“Ha! Could you tell him that? It’s not that I don’t love him… It’s just... he’s so routine. Everything about my life is a routine. He doesn’t do anything to surprise me anymore, you know? The magic has just kind of…faded. But that’s normal, right? To have the sparks fade?” Belle said, and now it was her turn to look for a ring on his finger. None to be found.

“I really wouldn’t know, dearie. Married once. We were too young to be serious… It was just a crash and burn relationship. We’re divorced now,” he said, and the previous lightheartedness in his voice was gone.

“Oh,” said Belle, afraid to have hit a nerve, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

He waved his hand dismissively. “It’s okay. That marriage is the reason I have my son, Neal, and I’m thankful for it, despite the horridness his mother put me through. But let’s not talk about it.”

Belle nodded. They settled in to silence, but when the plane jolted once again, Belle sprung to life.

“You know, I feel like I don't have a good idea about American history.”

“Beg your pardon?” said Lenox, looking amused at his seat partner.

“I just never really cared for it in high school, and now I feel inadequate in my U.S. history facts."

“That’s okay.”

“Is it? Am I an informed citizen?” Belle questioned.

“I’m not sure either. I’m not American,” he said. That explained the slight accent Belle had noticed. Belle had been born in the States, but sometimes the Australian accent she had grown up hearing from her parents came out in her voice.

“Oh. I guess we’ll never know some things then,” mused Belle.

“Guess not.”

“Hey… want to know a secret?” said Belle, feeling forward. “I’m weirdly attracted to Meryl Streep. That’s not bad, right?”

“I think a lot of people like her.”

“But like, the whole being attracted to a woman thing…”

“You have a boyfriend,” he pointed out, and continued, “I think you’re fine, but being attracted to women isn’t a crime.”

“You’re right. I like plenty of men, too… like George Clooney. I can’t believe I’ll never watch another George Clooney movie,” she said, looking upwards. “Why me, God?! There are so many movies with attractive people I haven’t watched!”

Lenox smirked. She was being kind of ridiculous, but it felt nice.

“Speaking of movies, that stupid Marley & Me movie makes me cry every time. It’s not fair… oh, and that song I Put Your Picture Away by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow.”

“Kid Rock makes you cry?” said Lenox, sounding incredulous.

“I’m an easy crier, man.”

“It seems like it.”

“Hey! I’m telling you these things because I’ve never told anyone else. The universe must know before this plane crashes…. What if we end up like that TV show, Lost?”

“Never watched it. But we aren’t flying over any remote islands, so I wouldn’t worry.”

“You’re right… but now I’m wondering which Lost character I would be.”

“The one who manages a department store and cries a lot.”

“No. The one who just lost her job, whose life is about to fall apart… and cries a lot.”

He gave her a look. “Don’t be so certain. It’ll be fine.”

Belle shrugged. Losing her job probably wouldn’t be the worst thing she could do, actually. It might help her branch out beyond her town, and find a job she actually wanted to be doing. She knew her life in Storybrooke was easy, but easiness didn’t always correlate to happiness. There were a lot of things she hadn’t told anyone, and she couldn’t believe she was just spilling them to a stranger on an airplane. That didn’t stop her from continuing on, however, and she let a stream of random things babble from her mouth.

“I’m an only child, and I feel like I have to be completely normal so I don’t disappoint my parents. Always wanted to pierce my nose, or get a tattoo. Never did. My guilty pleasure is Brittany Spear’s music. I collect seashells from every time I’ve been to the beach. Once or twice a month, I buy a carton of Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked, put on old romantic comedies, and just eat the whole thing.”

Belle paused to take a breath, and Lenox nodded like each of these did not surprise him.

“What would you want for your tattoo?” he asked, looking curious. She wondered if he was hiding a tattoo, himself.

“That’s your question? Alright. I don’t know. Something small, since it couldn’t be visible at work. I’ve always thought a little tiara on my shoulder would be cute. Like a princess… since I’m Belle…it’s cute.”

“It is,” he confirmed.

“I’m not really a big fan of pain, though, so it’ll never happen. Speaking of things that will never happen, I want Will to kiss me in the rain like in a romantic comedy. But every time I get near him when it’s raining outside, he just brushes me off and tells me to ‘get in the car, Belle, I’m getting wet’,” she said, throwing air quotations over his words.

“That’s a tragedy,” he said, smiling. “You should let him know of your romantic comedy aspirations.”

“Nah..he’d think it was embarrassing. Maybe one day he’ll get the hint and kiss me in the rain.. and propose! I’m sure he’ll propose soon,” she said, talking more to herself than to him.

“And…” she continued, “I lost my virginity to him after senior prom. He had told all his friend’s we’d done it after homecoming, which was a damn lie, and-“

Lenox cut her off. “I don’t need to hear about that.”

“Oh,” said Belle, realizing how revealing that was. “I’m sorry.”

Lenox turned to look at the other side of the plane. She shrunk a little in her seat. How could she have just said something so personal like that to someone she had known for an hour? Lenox had seemed genuinely interested in everything she had been saying before, but she had crossed a line. She had to say something to make the air not as uncomfortable as it was now.

“I have never seen the movies It’s A Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story,” she said, breaking the silence.

“Do you hate Christmas, Belle?” he said, pressing his hand against his chest in a scandalized way.

She laughed and looked out the window, in to the dark clouds surrounding them. “Kind of, actually. It’s all so commercialized and I just don’t have good memories of it growing up.”

“You’ll shoot your eye out,” Lenox informed her in a serious tone.

“I’m guessing that’s a movie reference. Very funny,” Belle said, patting the hand he had placed on the arm rest in between them.

“I couldn’t read until second grade,” she said. There. Another thing she rarely told people.

“Really, dear?”

“Yeah. It was just difficult for me. But then something in my brain clicked, and it just came as second nature. I read in all my spare time now. Biographies, romances, historical fiction, science fiction… anything. I’m kind of a dork,” Belle said with a nod.

Suddenly, the plane stopped the gentle rocking it had been doing, and the airplane attendant’s smooth voice surrounded them. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve passed the storm. We’ll be arriving in Chicago in about half an hour, thank you for your cooperation during the turbulence.”

Lenox beamed at Belle. Belle sighed. Good news: she wouldn’t die on an airplane. Bad news: she would lose her job when she got home. Good news: she had made a new friend! Bad news: she would never see him again. Bad news: she had told the guy facts she’d never told anyone else. The bad seemed to be outweighing the good.

“Guess we’re not dying today, dearie,” said Lenox, opening the magazine he had abandoned earlier to talk to her.

“Guess not,” said Belle, quietly.

The rest of the journey was uneventful, and Belle spent it thinking about what she would do when she returned to Storybrooke. She would make sure the department store was in excellent condition, so maybe the Gold’s Inc. corporate leadership would write her a nice recommendation letter for wherever she went next. She could probably manage a Wal-Mart or something. Working as a manager again wasn’t really high on her list of dream jobs, though.

Soon enough, the plane had landed and the passengers got up all at once to get their overhead carry-on bags and get on with their lives. Belle stayed in her seat to let the crowd go, as did Lenox.

“Thanks, you know, for letting me freak out at you,” Belle said, suddenly shy despite her earlier forwardness.

“It was a pleasure,” Lenox reassured her. He helped her get her overhead luggage down, and they walked out of the gate together. “Will is picking you up, right?”

“That was indeed the plan.”

Lenox walked with Belle until he saw a group of men waiting, each with individual signs for people to be driven from the airport in limos. “This is my stop.”

“Wow! Fancy,” said Belle, impressed.

“It’s a company thing… It was nice to meet you, again. See you when I see you,” said Lenox, with a smile and a wave goodbye.

Belle looked around, and finally spotted her Will. His eyes were on his phone.

“Hey, babe!” she called as she headed towards him. He looked up, and gave her a small smile before looking back at his phone. Not even a hello or a kiss. She’d been gone for two days, surely he missed her?

“The Bears-Packers game is today, Belle, and I’m missing it,” Will explained. “I’m just keeping up with the plays on the ESPN app.”

“Let’s get home then, so you can watch,” she said, feeling like an annoying family member he was forced to pick up rather than a treasured girlfriend. She grabbed his free hand and started walking with him to the exit.

She looked one final way towards where she had left Lenox, and saw he was walking out to another exit. He turned to look back at where she had left him. Their eyes met, and they both smiled as they went their separate ways. It was a shame she hadn’t gotten his last name. They could’ve been Facebook friends or something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Gold/Belle meeting is inspired by Can You Keep A Secret? by Sophie Kinsella. Let me know what you think!


	3. Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a horrendous job interview in New York City and an intimate conversation with a perfect strange on the airplane ride home, Belle returns to Storybrooke. Her first day back on the job (her last day back on the job?) is interrupted by a girl’s lunch out, during which Belle makes a decision about her relationship with Will. She’s called back in to work, and finds someone familiar sitting in her office.

Opening the Storybrooke branch of Gold’s Department Stores felt natural to Belle, similar to brushing her teeth every morning and combing the knots out of her hair. She liked the massive store the best when nobody was in it. It seemed her assistant manager, Jefferson Hatter, had run the place smoothly in her absence. Not that she doubted him; she knew he could run the place without her just fine (though he insisted otherwise). Belle was positive he would’ve accepted the full general manager position if it didn’t come with the extra hours, because he liked to spend as much time with his daughter Grace as possible.

Belle walked slowly through the different sections of the store, adjusting displays of makeup and shoes and toys to look just right. She felt like it might be her last chance to make it look to her liking, neat and organized with every last sign in the right place. She greeted her employees as they filed in and logged on to the computer system. Jefferson came in late, bearing two Starbucks drinks, and his tardiness was now forgiven because Belle did love a white chocolate mocha. She headed in to her office with Jefferson to give him a damage report on what had happened in New York. Telling people about her experience with the awful Regina Mills wasn’t high on her list of priorities, but Jefferson should know he was probably about to be offered her job.

“Hey, boss lady. Glad you survived the big city,” Jefferson said, sitting in the chair opposite her desk and handing her the drink with her name on it.

“You know, survived might not be the right word,” she said, grimacing.

“Belle. You had the promotion locked down,” he replied, looking genuinely confused before she explained everything that had happened in New York. He couldn’t help but laugh when she recounted spilling candy all over Regina Mill’s floor, but grew depressed as she finished her story.

Belle sighed. “So, don’t be surprised if corporate offers you my job soon. I’m sure they’re still laughing about me in New York.”

Jefferson looked incredibly disappointed, and Belle was at once thankful for such a great coworker, and heartbroken that she couldn’t look forward to their talks anymore. Looking at the clock, Belle realized it was 9am. Time to open to the public. She rose from her chair, and Jefferson put his arm around her shoulders comfortingly as they began to walk the store with their walkies on them in case of a store emergency. Belle felt at home, and the store really had become her second home over the years. She chatted with customers and employees alike, and didn’t reveal the sadness she felt inside. She tried to stay away from her office, because the more she was in her office the more likely it was that she would have to answer the phone call of whoever had to fire her.

At noon, Belle checked her phone and saw the group message her friends had created was popping with notifications. It seemed they were going out to lunch. She didn’t look at her phone often at work, but decided to text in her “I’ll be there. Give me fifteen”. She checked with Jefferson, and he was fine being in charge for the hour or so she would be gone. Taking an extended lunch break wouldn’t hurt anyone; she wouldn’t have this job for very long anyway. May as well go out with some rule-breaking.

The Rabbit Hole was not her ideal lunch destination. However, the other place her group frequented was Granny’s Diner, which was currently not an option because Ruby and her grandmother were quarreling. That was typical, and probably not long-lived, but it made the second-rate bar the only other place central to four of the friend’s locations. Belle had known these girls since high school, and they were some of the lasting few who remained in Storybrooke after graduation. Entering the bar, she saw her friends were already at a table, and they waved her over.

Emma Swan, Ruby Lucas, and Mary Margaret Nolan were Belle’s closest friends. Emma Swan was the local deputy, and took her job as second in command to Sheriff Graham very seriously. Ruby worked as a waitress at Granny’s Diner, and Mary Margaret was a teacher who had married her high school sweetheart, David Nolan. Ruby wasn’t involved with anyone, but Emma was seeing Killian Jones, who worked at the state aquarium. Belle was content to sit with them as they gossiped and joked, and Mary Margaret pulled out her phone to show her pictures of her baby. She knew what he looked like, of course, she babysat him when the Nolan’s were busy with their jobs, but it made her happy to see his little face on the phone screen. She had almost forgotten about New York when Emma nudged her shoulder and said, “Hey, how was your trip? When’s move-out day?”, and the three faces at the table all turned to her.

Belle began to mindlessly drag her fork around her empty plate, and once again told the tumultuous tale, from spilled food on clothing to a nightmare of an interview. When she was done, everyone looked at her with mouths slightly agape as they thought on their feet to try and help her feel less awful. Ruby put her hand over Belle’s.

“Regina sounds like a real jerk. Need me to take her out?” she said, with a serious look on her face. Ruby probably would kill someone to help Belle.

“No… no. I kind of deserve to be fired, what with how I acted,” Belle admitted, ready to accept her unemployed fate.

“Hey! You could full time nanny for the baby!” Mary Margaret offered, trying to make light of Belle’s story.

Belle felt her eyes welling up. _“Oh no,”_ she thought, _“I can’t cry. Not in a dumb bar where none of us are drinking.”_

“Isn’t it ironic how none of us are drinking in this bar?” Belle blurted. Recently, she had picked up the habit of not thinking before she spoke.

“We… we can’t. Because of our jobs,” said Emma, eyeing Belle with a funny look. “Speaking of which…” she looked at her watch.

“No! I can’t go back to work yet,” said Belle, feeling suddenly scared of returning to a grim message on her voicemail. “I have to tell you guys something!”

 _“Quick,”_ she thought, _“think of something to tell them!”_

“I met someone!”

Belle heard her mouth say the words but didn’t immediately process them. Who had she met? Her mind flashed back to the parting wave of the man, Lenox, she had met on the plane. He was pretty good looking, now that she thought about it. And he didn’t seem to mind her yammering as the plane hit turbulence. She could talk about him. So, she did. She told the girls about the mystery man next to her on the plane, who was divorced and well-traveled and interested in her. She didn’t tell them exactly everything she had said to him, but mentioned they talked about work, relationships, movies and music.

The looks on her friends faces all changed. Ruby looked excited, Mary Margaret confused, and Emma impressed.

“What about Will?” asked Mary Margaret, right as Ruby exclaimed, “Way to go Belle!”

“Will has as much personality as a box of rocks. No offense, Belle,” said Emma.

“You didn’t get the guys’ last name? Or number?” Ruby question, shaking her head as Belle reaffirmed she had no contact information.

“Come on, French!” Emma said. Belle was surprised Emma had taken such a passionate role in this conversation.

“What makes you suddenly so averse to Will, Emma?” said Belle.

“I just think you could do better… we all do, Belle. You need to branch out of here. Storybrooke isn’t where you belong, and we all know it. You might’ve lost that job and your ticket out, but you can’t take it as a reason to stay here,” Emma said, looking Belle right in the eyes.

She wasn’t lying. She hadn’t realized it, but she wanted that regional manager job so she could get the hell out of Storybrooke before she was stuck eating salads with Will the rest of her life, raising their children as she became a part-time soccer mom, running the department store until the department store ran her out. That life would’ve been stable and fine for some people, but it was about to become Belle’s reality and it just couldn’t happen.

“Marrying your high school sweetheart isn’t a bad thing, Belle,” Mary Margaret assured her. It seemed she was the only one left on Team Will.

“Not all of our high school sweethearts are as perfect as you and David,” Ruby reminded her.

“Okay, we don’t have to argue,” said Belle, thinking her options through. It was clear enough she couldn’t keep living a façade with Will. Although, she wouldn’t have a job soon and might need his income to support her - no. She couldn’t let herself do it.

“Guys. I need to break up with Will,” Belle said, after a moment of silence from all four women.

“Amen, sister,” Ruby said. She motioned to the waiter and asked for the check, because it had been almost an hour since they’d sat down.

“I guess I’ll talk to him tonight – but where am I going to go? The apartment is technically in his name,” Belle said, suddenly not thinking this whole “break up with Will” plot was her best idea.

“I would offer you a place with us, but the baby…” Mary Margaret trailed off.

“I’ve got an extra room. Killian won’t mind,” Emma said. Emma was the least touchy-feely of the group, but Belle had the sudden urge to hug her.

“Thank you SO much, Emma!” Belle exclaimed, bouncing in her seat.

“Not a problem. But now, I really do need to go. Graham’s going to flip if I’m not out on patrol in the next minute or two,” Emma said, putting some cash on the table and exiting.

“I’ve got to go relieve David of baby-duty,” said Mary Margaret, “but can I call you later to see when you can watch him?”

“Yeah. I’ll let you know if I need that full-time nannying job, too,” Belle said, rising from her chair to hug her friend goodbye.

And then there were two. Ruby was the only currently single one at the table, but she had her fair share of breakups. Belle had never broken up with anyone. She scooted her chair closer to Ruby, who gave her a list of reasons she had to break up with him, advice on how to do it, and some encouragement about the whole imminent no-job thing. Belle was grateful that Ruby was being so supportive, and she was thankful for all of her friend’s help that afternoon.

Belle’s phone began to buzz. Jefferson. Oh, right. She did still technically have a job. She should probably go do it. After paying her share of the tab and hugging Ruby, she got in her car and called him back.

“What’s up, Jeff-“ she began.

“You need to be here ASAP,” he whispered, cutting her off.

“Jefferson? What’s wrong? Is the store burning down?”

“No. Don’t be ridiculous,” he said, his voice returning to a normal level, “but someone from corporate is here to talk to you and I don’t want them to hear me tell you that. I just covered for you and said you left for lunch twenty minutes ago, not a full hour ago. I don’t want to talk to him though, he seemed kind of intense.”

“He?”

“Yeah. Corporate guy. Expensive suit. Accent. Needs to see you,” Jefferson said, and with that, the phone beeped. He had hung up on her.

Belle drove as fast as she could – well, as fast as she could for someone who obeyed speeding laws.

Her heart pounded as she calmly walked from the front of the store to the back, nodding at regular customers and the workers she was proud to have trained.

Jefferson stood outside her door, pacing.

“I’m here now, Hatter,” she said.

“Good luck, Isabella. He’s in your office.”

He had used her full name. This was serious business.

Belle opened the door slowly, and saw a man sitting in her chair, looking at the photos she had on her desk. They were just silly photos of her with her friends, her parents, and Will. That shouldn’t bother corporate, right? They were personal, but nothing inappropriate or….

The man had looked up at her. Longish graying hair, dark brown eyes…

She knew him.

She _knew_ him.

“Lenox!” she yelled, putting her hands on her head and trying to figure out what she was seeing.

“Yeah, dear. It’s me.”

“Oh my god… I don’t understand. What are you doing here?”

He stood. She couldn’t read the look on his face. It wasn’t smug, but it wasn’t sad or happy or any other clear emotion. He was unreadable.

“Allow me to introduce myself to you properly. R.L. Gold, CEO of Gold’s Department Stores, Incorporated.” He extended his hand over the desk for her to shake, but she shook her head and backed away towards the door.

Had she told the CEO of her company all her secrets? Had he known who she was all along? Was he here to fire her? Was he here to fire her and humiliate her with how embarrassing she was? Had she really told him about bra shopping? She had told him about losing her virginity, for goodness sake’s. Belle was ready to faint.

“You should have a seat, Belle. We need to talk.”


	4. Shaking Things Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite Belle’s flustered reaction to his presence, Mr. Gold offers Belle two things: a job, and a date. She accepts one of them, but needs time to think on the other. Belle returns to her home to break off her relationship with Will, and gathers her belongings for her move to the Swan-Jones’ apartment.

It was an interesting scene, really. Belle sat at the chair opposite her desk, looking anywhere but the man in front of her. Her cheeks burned red, and her hand kept tucking her loose curls behind her ears. The man in her usual chair watched her with a chagrined expression, his hands pressed together over his mouth. After a moment of silence, he began.

“Ms. French, I’m here to –“

“Here to fire me, yeah, I know. But first, I think I get to ask you if you knew who I was the whole time,” Belle said fiercely, meeting his eyes for the time. She looked confused. Gold felt a sense of pity for the bewildered women. He really shouldn’t have let her go on like she had on the plane, but she was scared of the turbulence and he found her entertaining.

“I’m not here to fire you. And yes. I put two and two together when you mentioned what position you were applying for with the company.”

“You’re not here to fire me – then why – why are you here?!” she half-yelled, growing irritated. “Here to tell me I violated some company policy by telling you my life story? Telling you things I’ve never told anyone else? And you knew who I was? Knew you were my boss? What kind of sick joke was that?”

“Belle, I’m sorry, truly, I am. But you have to understand, some things just have to be said. ”

It was cruel of him to throw her own words back at her. She gave a loud sigh and began to tap her fingers nervously on the desk.

“If you’re not here to fire me, could we just move on? Forget this happened?”

“I’m not sure I can ever forget that you like Britney Spears,” he teased.

“Shut up,” Belle replied exasperatedly, and then her face shifted to fright. “Can I tell my boss to shut up?”

He shrugged. “I deserve it.”

“Belle, or, Ms. French. I’m here to offer you the Midwest Regional Manger position,” he said. “The job is absolutely yours.”

“Are you kidding me? I bombed the interview. Regina Mills must’ve told you.”

“I had a phone call with her about it, yes, but I knew the extenuating circumstances. I believe you were the most qualified applicant. I want you to take the job.”

“Mr. Gold, I can’t! It’s not fair! Surely, someone else applied with similar qualifications! I can’t take it out of your pity for me,” Belle said.

“The other applicant was one Regina would prefer, yes, but I don’t like her.”

“I bet she doesn’t cry as much as me.”

“No, but Ms. Verde does want to get in to my pants. And I want nothing to do with hers,” Lenox explained, like that was a normal thing.

Belle opened her mouth to reply, but was taken aback at his comment. "She just, openly wants to… hook up with you?”

He nodded. “That, and she’s a horrible person… Given that Regina prefers Zelena Verde, and I prefer you, and I’d love nothing more than to make Regina angry… the job is yours for the taking, Belle.”

She noticed he couldn’t decide what to call her, alternating between being her friend and her boss. How awkward, to know her so well but to try and offer her a position she didn’t deserve. Belle didn’t like it. It felt like he was just offering the job like he had to. A compassion kind of thing. This was the worst time for her to remember telling her friends how attractive he was. He really wasn’t half bad. She felt her heartbeat increase as she noticed his brown eyes were set on her, and redirected her thoughts.

“I don’t want your mercy, Mr. Gold. I don’t need it,” she finally said, sounding determined.

“If you want to interview for the job again, I’d be happy to. I’ll give you some time to think it out,” he offered.

“Okay… but, why do you want to make Mills angry?”

“Oh, I suspect she’ll be very angry at me soon anyway,” he said with a shrug.

Belle began to wonder if a shake-up was about to begin at corporate. She didn’t hear much, being a lowly store manager, but she was copied on enough e-mails to know things. Sales were going well, but surely marketing and public relations and the other corporate departments had some drama. Lenox must be involved in all of it. She would have to ask him about it, maybe when they hung out next.

That was a strange thought. They weren’t going to hang out. She was going to say no to the job, because she didn’t deserve it, and they would part ways as familiar strangers.

“How long do I have to think about the job offer?” Belle finally replied after the brief pause in their conversation.

“Would a week work?”

“Sure.”

“I’d like to see you before then, if possible.”

“To talk about my store?” she said, confused as to why the CEO of a very large company would single her out in his busy schedule.

“To go on a date,” he said.

A small staring contest ensued. Belle was sure she looked baffled. Flattered, but confused. He looked non-apologetic.

“I told you, I have a boyfriend,” said Belle, not unkindly.

“Damn. In all my thinking about talking to you on the plane, I forget the boyfriend. I think I removed him from my memory,” Gold said, beginning to shift uncomfortably in his chair. “Forgive me, Ms. French, I’m sorry –“

She stopped him. “Can you do lunch in two days?”

That should give her enough time to break up with Will, (which she had forgot she needed to do until now. This day was crazy) and move her things to Emma Swan’s apartment. Why not add one more complication to her life? It would certainly throw her ordinary ways out the window. A move and a date with the CEO of her company.

He smiled. “Yeah. Two days works.”

“Not even going to check your planner?”

“I will definitely make time for you.”

Belle briefly wondered if there was a rule against dating within the company. She must’ve spoken it aloud, because Lenox quickly said, “There’s no rules against us going out. When we established the company, we didn’t set a rule on relationships. My parents met at work and I just didn’t see…. Call me old-fashioned, but I think humans should be allowed to date who they want.”

Belle nodded, but still felt wrong somehow. “If I get the job, won’t people think it’s because we’re going out?”

He frowned. “When you accept the job, it’ll be because you’re qualified and capable. Not because I like you.”

She tried not to show the grin she felt. He liked her. What a damn day.

His phone began to ring, killing whatever moment they were having. They broke their eye contact as he looked down and fumbled to get his phone from his pocket. He swore under his breath as he read the name.

“It’s Camille de Ville. I really do need to answer.”

She nodded. He clicked ‘accept’ and stood up and turned away from her, and Belle could hear the shrill woman’s voice from her chair.

Camille de Ville was a name she could recognize. She was in charge of advertising, and Belle had met her at a business lunch once. Camille was a towering woman with an outgoing (borderline obnoxious) personality who was really very brilliant and she had a great sense of what would be popular. She knew what would be eye-catching before anyone else, and she had worked with Lenox to build the company up to what it was now.

Belle found herself biting her lip, her thoughts drifting to Will. With all her heart, she wanted the split to be amicable… like, she could go to him if she needed something, and he with her. Although, she wasn’t sure what she could need from him. An update on the state of high school sports? Unlikely. But, she wanted to be able to talk to him at the grocery store instead of hiding, like she knew some girls had to do from former flames.

“Sorry about that,” Lenox said, stopping his pacing around her office and moving towards her.

“It’s fine,” she said, rising from her chair. He offered his hand to help her up, and she took it, though she really didn’t need it. When she was standing, their hands lingered together for a moment longer than necessary, and Belle found Lenox, too, was staring at their entwined hands.

Belle jumped back. They both began to say “sorry” at the same time, and then laughed.

They walked towards the door, keeping a safe distant from each other. She walked out the door in front of him, and escorting him to the entrance and exit of the store. Jefferson was lurking near her office door, and she merely offered a wink when their eyes met.

“Goodbye, Mr. Gold,” said Belle with a smile.

“Goodbye, Ms. French,” he replied. He began to walk towards the parking lot, but she started after him.

“Mr. Gold! How will you contact me? About our…meeting?”

He smirked. “I’m the CEO of the company. I’ll pull your number from your employee file.”

Oh. Right. He could do that. He could also find her dental records, probably.

She smiled again, and waved him goodbye. With a happy sigh, she retreated back to the store. It was already time for her to go home.

“You’re good to close, right, Jefferson?” she said as she walked back in to her office, which he was still positioned outside of.

“Yes, sure, of course. Are you going to tell me what happened with him? Are you still employed? I tried listening but you two were like mice,” he said, sounding venomous. Jefferson was a huge gossip, so the fact he had tried to listen wasn’t unexpected, but it did bother Belle a bit. She knew he was concerned about his job and hers, but he wasn’t getting any answers from her today, not before she could process what had happened.

She only offered a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Jefferson.”

-

It wasn’t uncommon for Will to be home late most nights. He liked to stay late at practices to offer help to any player who needed it. Belle thought that was sweet of him, to be so dedicated. She also thought it was annoying of him. She had never told him this, but it was Storybrooke High School for god’s sake, not professional sports. He loved being a gym teacher, and she didn’t have the heart to critique his career choice, though sometimes she told him she wished he was around more.

It seemed he had listened to her tonight. His car was in the garage, and when she entered the living room, he was watching a football game with a pizza box on the coffee table. He turned his head from the television when he heard her enter the room.

“Hey, babe, come join me, I got dinner!” he said, patting the spot next to her on the couch.

Belle’s began to bite her lip again. She walked slowly to the couch, reassuring herself she could do what she was about to do. She sat next to him, and when he leaned in to kiss her cheek, she moved her head out of the way so he got air.

“I didn’t get onions on the pizza, I know you don’t like them. Is something wrong?” he said. Belle could hardly look at him. He was cute, really, and he looked like a distressed little puppy. Suddenly, Belle didn’t have the heart to do this, really, and she wasn’t sure it was the right choice.

“You look upset, Belle, really, what’s wrong? Did something happen at work?”

Belle laughed. She realized she had never told him about her interview. She realized, then, that he had never asked. That was proof enough.

“A lot of things happened at work, every day. Not that you ever ask,” she said, quietly. She reached for the remote and lowered the volume of the obnoxious game. Belle suddenly couldn’t stomach one more football call.

Will’s face was confused, and it looked like he was thinking hard. Probably about when he had last asked her about work.

Seizing his silence, Belle continued, “You never ask me about myself. You didn’t even ask about my interview. I went to New York, Will, and you didn’t ask me how it was! You were too wrapped up in a football game. Am I important to you?”

Will looked baffled. “Of course you’re important to me. I love you, Belle.”

“And I…” Belle began. It was so automatic in her to reply “I love you, Will.”

Sometimes, she realized, just saying “I love you” isn’t enough. He could say it to her as many times as he wanted, but his actions had never proven that statement, even though it had become their staple phone-call ender for the last few years. They had grown so adjusted to each other, it wasn’t special. He didn’t surprise her anymore. He was just Will, someone she knew everything about and would always regard warmly. She didn’t want to marry him, though, didn’t want to raise his children and grow old with him. She wanted someone else, someone full of surprises and mystery and Lenox – now, that was a surprising thought –

 _“Okay,”_ she said to herself, _“let’s not jump ahead of ourselves.”_

“I-think-we-should-see-other-people.” Belle said aloud, staring at the coffee table in front of them.

Realization dawned on Will. “Are you… you’re breaking up with me? We’ve been together since high school, Belle.”

“Exactly! Don’t you think we deserve to see other people? To see if there’s more out there? We owe it to ourselves to let each other see other people, especially because this isn’t working anymore.”

“I thought it was working,” he said softly. His warm brown eyes were filled with sadness and confusion. Belle wanted to jump back and say, “just kidding! What a crazy idea, sorry!” and forget she had started the conversation, but she plowed on.

“It’s not working anymore. I’m happy we were together. I’m happy to have known you for so long. I loved the time we spent together, but I don’t love us anymore.”

“There’s someone else, isn’t there, Belle?” he said, his frown changing to a sad smile.

She must’ve looked like a deer in headlights.

He closed his eyes and said quietly, “There is someone else. I hope he knows he’s the luckiest man in the world, to have you, Belle. If he ever hurts you, in any way, you tell me.”

Belle was slightly uncomfortable, but glad Will seemed to be accepting her leaving.

“I will, Will, don’t worry,” she said, reaching out and rubbing his shoulder. He jumped at her touch. Not her best move, given she was breaking up with him.

“I’m going to go pack my things. I’ll see you around,” Belle said, getting off the couch and slipping out of the room. She lingered for a minute, waiting to see if he would follow her. All she heard was Will reposition himself on the couch, and the rise of the TV volume. He was going to be okay.

Entering the room they had shared for so long, Belle got her travel duffel bag and began to pack it. It had never occurred to her before that she had so many clothes, and toiletries, and other things she thought imperative. She might need to drag a garbage bag around full of her clothes… or she could just take one to Emma’s tonight and get the rest of her stuff while Will was at work tomorrow.

Once her necessities were stored away safely, Belle exited the house quietly and drove to the apartment complex Emma lived at. Killian Jones and Emma had been renting an apartment for a while. He made good money at the aquarium, she knew, and with the combined income the couple could afford a nice place. Their flat was spacious, with a nice kitchen, living room, and two bedrooms. Whenever Belle and her friends got together at Emma’s place, Mary Margaret had always called that extra room “the future nursery” but Emma would laugh and insist it was just a guest room (until Killian put a ring on it, Belle thought). It would have to be Belle’s room for now.

She knocked on the door, and Emma greeted her.

Despite Emma’s usual reservations about emotion, she gave Belle a big hug.

“Uh, what’s this for?”

“You just lost your job, sweetie,” Emma said, like this was obvious.

Ohh. Right. The job.

“No, I didn’t,” Belle said, grinning ear to ear.

“You didn’t!?”

“Nope. I got offered the Regional Manager position, too. Hey Killian!” Belle said, smiling at the man who had just joined Emma at the door.

“Hey Belle. Glad to hear you didn’t lose your job. Why don’t we get off the porch and get inside?”

The trio moved inside, and Killian took Belle’s bag to the guest room as Emma and Belle sat on the stools at the kitchen counter.

“So, you kept the job and lost the boyfriend?” Emma said.

“That’s a good recap of today,” Belle replied. She was suddenly exhausted, but couldn’t wait to tell her friend about her day. “But I’ve got a date lined up in a couple days.”

“With who? Jefferson?” said Emma, looking intrigued.

“Never. Remember that guy I told you about, from the airplane?”

“The hot, mysterious one who was in to you?”

Emma did remember him.

“No. Way.”

“I’ve got a lot to tell you, Emma.”


	5. Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle and Jefferson do some research on Lenox Gold. Belle continues to adjust to her ‘new’ life, and Lenox takes her out for what’s supposed to be an upscale meal, that turns in to a casual but memorable first date. Lenox tells Belle his plans for the company, and the night ends sweetly.

After organizing all her things at her new place of residence, Belle pulled in late to work at Gold’s Department Store. Jefferson was eagerly waiting for her in her office, and she took a seat across from him. She finally gave him the full story – meeting Lenox on the plane, Lenox being the CEO, breaking up with Will, and her date with Lenox that was to happen the next day.

“You’re going out with the CEO of our company, and you didn’t immediately tell me,” said Jefferson, a hand to cover his heart like a scandalized southern woman. 

“I’m sorry!” Belle insisted, “but I don’t even know how to get ready for a date. I bet you could help me?” It was a peace offering, really, offering to let him help her in exchange for her secrecy as of late.

“Where are you guys going? What time is he picking you up? IS he picking you up?” Jefferson asked, hitting Belle with question after question. When she shrugged after each one, he sighed.

“Do you know anything about him? You know, besides that he’s your boss?”

Belle’s eyes widened as she realized she really didn’t know much about it. It had mostly been her talking on the plane. “He’s divorced, he has a son, and he runs this company?” she offered.

Jefferson pursed his lips. “Nothing the internet can’t help us with!” he said, swapping seats with Belle so he could use her computer.

It felt kind of wrong to Belle that she could just Google him and find a Wikipedia biography. Most people didn’t have that kind of advantage when it came to a first date. She began to wonder if she was a bad employee for not immediately recognizing him, flipping through some magazines sent to her by corporate. He wasn’t pictured in anything, but quoted a few times. Regina and Camille were both in various pictures, but he left his letters at the end of the various pamphlets picture-less. She knew why his voice sounded familiar now – the small Scottish twist was recognizable because he did voiceover for some of the videos on statistics projections and employee policy videos she had seen. His position was far above hers, so it probably wasn’t bad she didn’t know what he looked like. Lenox preferred to stay behind the scenes, from what she could tell. Belle hadn’t noticed she’d zoned out, until Jefferson stopped his rapid typing and made a “hmm” noise.

“What?” she said, peering closer at the computer screen.

“He was divorced, you’re right. He has a son, looks like he’s involved in the company as well. Neal Gold? Must have gone straight to corporate… No lowly job for the director’s son…. Rumford Lenox Gold is from Scotland, came to America when he was young with nothing… He’s a rags-to-riches story,” Jefferson said, summarizing the various articles he had come across.

“That’s all pretty normal,” said Belle, feeling relieved they hadn’t found anything on weird habits or any legal troubles.

“Ooh.. girl. You might not want to read this one,” Jefferson said quickly, exiting out of the page before Belle could read the article. She had only caught the headline –“CEO + Supermodel = ?”

Belle grabbed the mouse from Jefferson and opened it up, her eyes flying. Lenox had been involved with supermodel Cora Milhouse for a couple years, it seemed. They were on/off, and the article had various photos of her clinging to his shoulder at charity events and yacht parties. Belle felt vaguely threatened by this gorgeous woman, even though the article was dated a year ago and was her representative confirming they were done “for good”. 

“You’re prettier than her,” Jefferson said, trying to console her.

“It’s not a competition,” Belle said quickly, “and they’ve been over for a year, so it doesn’t even matter anymore.”

“That’s the spirit. Okay, what are your outfit options? Are you going somewhere fancy?” he said, changing the subject from her date’s ex-girlfriend.

Belle took that subject and ran with it, and they discussed hair, makeup, and narrowed it down to a few outfit choices. She assumed Emma could help her in the end, and the pair began their rounds around the store to check on the employees. Belle felt her phone buzz, and pulled it out quickly. A text from an unsaved number read, “Tomorrow night – dinner downtown. I’ll pick you up at 7. See you then. L.” 

Belle smiled and held her phone out to Jefferson. After reading the message, he smiled back at her, and made her promise to text him afterwards. Belle replied to Lenox’s text with her new address. The rest of the day passed quickly, and Belle returned to the Swan-Jones apartment feeling accomplished.

Putting on her pajamas and pulling out her favorite book, Belle snuggled up on her new bed. She had fallen asleep with the book open next to her, and woke up when she heard Emma and Killian come in from their date night, and she heard Emma knock at the door.

“Belle?” she said, “are you asleep? We’re going to watch a movie; you can join us if you want.”

“Love, if she’s asleep, you just woke her up,” said Killian, laughing at her.

Emma mumbled something in reply, causing Killian to laugh more, and Emma said “goodnight, Belle, sorry if I woke you,” through the door. Belle fell asleep to the faint sounds of an action movie they were watching in the room next door. 

-  
The next at work flew by like blur. Storybrooke’s Gold’s Department store was holding a huge sale, and plenty of people piled in to the store, clutching their coupons eagerly. Belle and Jefferson barely talked to each other, as both were always busy fixing a computer error or explaining a price or helping a frazzled employee. 

When she arrived to her new home, Belle pulled out the hangers of the three outfits she was considering. Jefferson had convinced her to wear her hair down, and she pulled out her curling iron to fix the hair that had gone haywire since her morning comb-through. She hadn’t realized how close 7pm was getting until she finished reapplying her mascara and checked her phone. Ruby had texted her a “u got this!!” about her date, and Mary Margaret had sent her a photo of little Leo. It was 6pm, and Belle had intended to be ready early just in case Lenox was early. Emma cautiously stepped in to her room, and offered Belle two thumbs up at her hair and makeup situation.

“Need any help?” said Emma, glancing at the outfits and shoes that were strewn about the room.

Belle nodded, and Emma slipped out of the room so Belle could try on her first outfit. It soon became a mini fashion show, as Emma gave comments on each outfit combination, ranging from “hot” to “why do you own that?” 

The girls finally settled on a pair of red high heels and a simple little black dress, paired with chunky red accent jewelry. “Perfect,” said Emma as Belle stepped out of her room in the winning outfit. Killian agreed that Belle looked nice, and the trio moved to sit around the kitchen table.

Belle’s stomach was beginning to twist, and she felt herself begin to sweat from nerves. Emma must’ve sensed it, because she put her arm around Belle and whispered, “You’re going to be fine, alright? And,” she said with a smirk, “if he tries anything, I’m a cop.”

“I haven’t gone on a first date since sophomore year, Emma! I don’t remember how to do them!” Belle exclaimed. 

“Just be yourself,” offered Killian.

“What if he doesn’t liiiike me?” said Belle, “or what if he does?!” She was beginning to sound like a teenager. Oh well. She was allowed to panic about her first first date in many moons. 

“It’ll be fine either way, Belle. Trust me,” Emma said. “I feel like I’m a mother watching my teenage daughter go on her first date.”

“Be home by 11pm, Belle,” said Killian seriously.

Belle laughed and hugged both of them, and they watched whatever was on the TV until exactly 7pm, when the doorbell rang. 

Emma pushed her way in front of Belle (who’s heels caused a running disadvantage), and opened the door.

“Hi!” she said, to Lenox’s raised eyebrows. “I’m Belle’s friend, and I just want you to know-“

Belle snuck around Emma. “That she’s leaving! Bye Emma, love you,” she said, closing the door as her friend stuck out her tongue at her. 

Lenox turned his eyes from the door to his date in front of him, taking in her tumbling curls and dress and heels. His eyes widened, and he looked taken aback. Belle noticed he was dressed in another impeccable suit. 

“Is it.. is it too much?” said Belle, looking down at her outfit choice.

“No, my dear. You look lovely. Simply perfect,” he said, extending his arm for her to take down the stairs and on to the car that was waiting for them. A limo. A freakin’ limousine was in the parking lot.

“Really? A limo?” said Belle, laughing as Lenox opened the door for her.

“Only the best, of course,” he said, and then shrugged as he added, “the company has one, so I figured I might as well use it.”

“And where are we going?”

“Ah, that would ruin the surprise,” he said, winking at her.

Belle noticed he had kept a safe distance in sitting next to her, and she was grateful he wasn’t overwhelmingly physical with her. It was odd, really, to go from dating one person to the next so quickly. Belle hoped she wasn’t rushing in to something too fast. Will had been her other half for so long and she had just broken up with him… But Lenox was everything Will wasn’t, and she hoped to uncover some of the mystery surrounding him tonight at dinner. She watched Lenox thoughtfully as he looked out the window, watching Storybrooke’s streets turn in to highway as they made their way to the city. 

Belle decided to break the silence, asking Lenox how his day was going. They exchanged polite conversation, until a mention of sports led to Belle revealing she couldn’t stand football ever since Will had shown her a set of plays for four hours straight, trying to get her to understand strategies and calls.

“So you’ve… broken up with him, then?” he said, cautiously.

“Yep,” she confirmed. “I’m fancy free, now.”

“Good,” he said. “I don’t want to go out with someone who’s not fully there, you know.” He glanced her way, and then continued, “If you feel like anything is moving too fast, let me know.” She could tell in his voice he was sincere, and she was grateful. 

“I am not pining over Will,” she assured him. “That breakup was a long time coming; I just didn’t want to do it.”

He nodded, and took her hand in his. Soon enough, the car had stopped and Lenox helped Belle out. They were pulled up to a very tiny, very exclusive Italian restaurant Belle had never heard of. Lenox frowned as they saw the lights were out, and they went to the door to read that the restaurant was closed due to catering a family member’s wedding.

“Belle, I am so sorry. I should’ve called,” said Lenox. It was dark, but Belle could tell he was flustered.

“It’s fine!” she said, “the city is full of restaurants!”

“Yes, but this one is the best Italian food you’ll ever have outside of Italy – a family business. It’s incredible. I’ll take you back here when they’re open,” he said, and Belle took note that he expected there would be another date.

“Of course,” she said. Lenox looked at limousine, but Belle encouraged him to give the driver the night off. They could walk to another restaurant, really. She sat on a bench to undo her heels, and walked along the road with him with them in her hand. The streets were somehow relatively empty, but it was the higher class part of the city and everyone else was already where they wanted to be. Spotting a colorful sign that caught her eye, Belle paused.

“You want to go to The Taco Shack?” said Lenox doubtfully as he read the sign.

She didn’t like his tone, and decided she had to go there. “Yes, I think tacos from a shack would be lovely.”

“If the lady insists,” he said, heading in the direction the sign pointed. 

A quick walk led them to a food truck that had a couple picnic tables in front of it. Belle stepped up to the counter and placed her order, and Lenox followed suit, paying for the both of them. As they waited for the food, Lenox commented, “cheapest date I’ve ever been on”.

Belle thought, “yeah, because I’m not a supermodel,” but kept that to herself. Old flames didn’t need to be brought up tonight. They had already talked about Will, and that was enough.

After Lenox had picked up the food from the counter, they both dug in. The carne asada tacos Belle ordered were mouth-watering, and she was content with her choice. Lenox appeared to be struggling with keeping his taco all together, and Belle laughed at him when some fell down his shirt. She offered him her napkin, and their conversation continued. Belle told him about having immigrant Australian parents, and he told her he moved to America after the untimely death of both of his parents with a dream of opening a store. He had never intended for Gold’s to be as plentiful and powerful as it was now, but he was thankful.

“What kind of stuff does a CEO do?” asked Belle.

“I oversee all the projects, but I have a lot of employees directly under me who supervise things for me. My name goes on everything, so I need it all to be perfect. I mostly just sign things and sit in meetings. I make any big executive decisions.”

“Then why were you involved in picking the Midwest regional manager?”

He shrugged. “I only want to promote the people who really deserve it. Like you.”

“Seems like a menial task for a big CEO,” she said.

“I can’t let Regina Mills make all the decisions. She’s beginning to think it’s her company,” he said. Belle couldn’t read his emotions on Regina. It wasn’t hate, but it wasn’t love, either.

“You don’t like Regina?”

“It’s not that I don’t like Regina, it’s that Regina wants my job. She’s trying to fill our higher positions with the people who side with her on most issues. Like Zelena,” he said with a shudder. “I hope you never have to meet Zelena.”

“Me too. Do you think Regina will get your job though?” said Belle, remembering the articles on Lenox indicated he was in his mid-forties, an incredibly young CEO, and a good twenty years her senior. Belle didn’t think age was a huge issue for her, but it was a generation between them. 

“Retirement, if that’s what you’re hinting at, isn’t a big priority. But yes, I do have tentative plans on who the company will go to, and it’s not Regina,” he said firmly.

“I don’t think you’re old enough to retire,” she said quickly. 

“I don’t either. But, to be honest, I might leave the company before my “time” comes to retire,” he said, throwing air quotations up like he thought it was silly.

“Really? Why? It’s all such a success!” she said, incredulous.

“Well, I’ve done everything I wanted to do with it. We’re not in any debt, we’re one of the biggest brands in the United States, we’re known for employee and customer satisfaction. That’s all I wanted,” he said, like those were easy things to accomplish.

“You can always be better,” said Belle.

“Yes, but figuring out new ways to be better doesn’t interest me anymore. I want to… I want to see the world. Help people in other places who have nothing. Go backpacking somewhere, before my knees give out on me. Reduce the hunger rate around the world,” he said, looking distant for a moment. 

Belle watched him grow serious, and reached out for his hand. “That is so great, Lenox. You should do all those things.” She was genuine in her statement. She wanted the best for him, for him to do things that made him happy.

“You think so?” he said, smiling at her. “A lot of things have to fall in to place for me to feel comfortable leaving.”

“Such as?”

“My son agreeing to taking over the company.”

Ahh. His son. That made sense, really, to keep the business in the family. Belle smirked as she wondered how Regina would feel about that.

“I’m sure he wants to take it over.”

“I know he wants too, but he has to prove to me he’s ready.”

“A true fatherly test. Very nice,” she said.

“He’s young… I mean, I was young when we started, but he’s just not mature enough. He’s frustrated at me right now, but you know, kids will be kids.”

Belle didn’t know about kids. She didn’t have any, and she knew Will had wanted them, but she wouldn’t have kids without being married. That hadn’t happened, so kids didn’t happen. She always pictured her future with children running around, but the opportunity to have them just hadn’t come up. “I don’t know about kids, actually, but I believe you,” she said.

He looked at her sharply. “I keep forgetting you’re young.”

She knew age would come up eventually. “It’s not an issue, right?”

“Not as long as you don’t mind that I walk slowly.”

“My heels slow me down. I think we’ll be perfect,” she said, putting her shoes back on before rising from the picnic table to hail a taxi back to Storybrooke.

They continued to chat in taxi ride back, and Belle almost dreaded arriving at her front porch. Discussing things with Lenox was just so easy, and she felt incredibly comfortable about him. This was what a relationship should be like, she thought. She wanted to know everything about him at once, and didn’t think she would weary of listening to his voice as she closed her tired eyes. 

“I’ve got a question for you,” she said curiously, “why weren’t you in first class on our plane ride?”

“As I was checking in, I saw a couple on their honeymoon. The wife was upgraded, but the husband wasn’t. I didn’t want her to give up her first class, or for them to sit apart. So, I just had the flight attendant switch our seats,” he said with a shrug. Belle felt a rush of appreciation for his humbleness, and sent a mental thank-you to whoever that couple was.

“Besides,” he said softly, “if I hadn’t downgraded my seat, I wouldn’t have met you.”

“I’m glad we met,” she said, returning the gentleness in her voice.

“Me too, darling.”

He stepped out of the taxi and followed her up the stairs to the front door. Belle suddenly realized he was probably going to kiss her and wished she had chewed gum or something on the way home, and everything in her mind seemed to be going quickly as he told her he had a great time and he hoped they could get together again soon and slipped his arms around her waist. She smiled up at him, and he smiled back. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and moved to meet his lips with hers. As they kissed, Belle realized that this was the singular best kiss she had ever experienced, like, the kind of kiss she had read about but thought was fake because she never felt fireworks like that with Will. This kiss could go on all night. She wouldn’t mind at all, really. Her hands were running through his hair, and everything in the world seemed perfect, if only for a tiny moment. She was about to break it off to breath for a moment, but Emma opened the door. Lenox jumped away from her and offered Emma a tiny, embarrassed smile. He kissed Belle’s cheek, and ran off the porch steps and back in to the taxi. Emma leaned on the doorway and smirked at Belle.

“So it went okay?” 

Belle hit Emma on the shoulder as she entered the house. “Go away,” she laughed; feeling both overjoyed at her date and sad that Lenox was gone. So this was her post-first date mood. This sense of elation, this unexplainable smile on her face.

Belle texted her friends a little “thumbs up” emoji in regards to all the texts she had gotten while she was out. Emma and Belle retreated to the living room, and Belle spilled the details of the date to her. Well, everything but the kiss. Emma had seen enough.

“So, are you going to take the regional manager job?” said Emma, handing Belle a drink.

“No,” she said simply. The job had been in the back of her mind all night. She couldn’t take it.

Emma looked like she had questions, but Belle didn’t feel like explaining herself tonight.

“C’mon, Emma, let’s change in to our jammies and I’ll call Ruby and Mary Margaret to tell them about my date.”

“You’re a lovesick puppy, Belle.”

She was. But she was happy. Things were changing for Belle, and she liked it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just picture Belle in a LBD and Gold in a suit eating tacos very casually at a picnic table. It made me smile, and I hope it made you smile too. Let me know what you think!


	6. Stumbling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle formulates a plan for her future that doesn’t involve taking the regional manager job. A lunch date doesn’t go as smoothly as Lenox or Belle would’ve hoped. Emma consoles Belle post-date, and things get cleared up between her and Lenox when he surprises her with a visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't updated this in a while due to some business in my own life. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Belle had spent the days post-first date in a blissful daze. She hummed happily everywhere she went, her eyes constantly smiling. Employees and friends alike took note, often remarking she seemed to be happier than normal. It was all due to Lenox, of course. He made her happy, and despite the fact that they couldn’t see each other until their meeting to discuss the regional manager job, he often texted her photos of where he was and messages to tell her he was thinking of her. She eagerly reached for her phone each time it buzzed, not even pretending to be sly at work.

“You’ve got it bad,” said Jefferson, joining her next to a makeup booth as she pulled her phone from her pocket.

She smiled. “Lenox and I are meeting tomorrow for lunch to talk about that job.”

“And you’re taking it,” he said, sure of his assessment.

“Nope,” she said with a shrug.

Jefferson looked at her like she was crazy. “Belle, you can’t turn it down! It’s your dream job!”

This is where he was wrong. Being a regional manager was a step-up from where she was, and she was fully capable of it, but it wasn’t her dream. Managing department stores had never been her end-goal. She had never been sure of her end goal, really, and this job was pretty much guaranteed to go to her after college, so she’d gone with it. Belle didn’t know what her dream career was, but she needed time to figure it out. Not wanting to commit herself halfway to something, Belle couldn’t take the job. She wasn’t sure what Lenox’s reaction would be, but she knew it was what was best for her.

She quietly explained her plan to Jefferson, and he nodded at her with wide eyes. “I think that’ll be good. You deserve to be happy,” he said, wrapping her in a quick hug before they went their separate ways for the day.

-  
The next day, Belle was a basket full of nerves before her lunch meeting. She had something planned in her head to say, but the fact that she would be disappointing her boyfriend and boss was a bit overwhelming. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be too upset. Maybe he won’t be upset at all, she thought, reassuring herself as she entered the restaurant. It was a quiet café that occupied a spot on Storybrooke’s Main Street. She’d picked the location; the café had the best sandwiches she’d ever had. They’d set their meeting time, and she was only a few minutes early.

The hostess led her to a table for two, and she looked at the other customers occupying the place. Someone caught her eye – tan skin, brown hair, brown eyes – it was Will. He sat at the booth a few yards away from her, reaching out to hold the hand of the woman across from him. Belle craned her neck to catch the woman’s face, and realized it was Anastasia Heart. She’d met Ana a few times, she was a sweet history teacher at the high school Will worked at. She smiled to herself, happy he’d found someone. Both people had yet to catch her eye, and she didn’t want to make awkward small talk as she sat alone. She pushed the thought out of her mind and pulled her phone out of her purse, texting Lenox that she had arrived. Belle began to scroll through social media, killing time before he showed up. After ten minutes, she called his cell but was directed right to voicemail. 

“He’s just busy,” she thought, not letting her mind go crashing in to worst case scenarios of a car accident or something worse as she repeatedly refreshed her messages, looking for one to tell her he was on his way, at least. 

The waiter was at her table soon, asking if she wanted to order. Belle looked at the time – half an hour since her and Lenox had agreed to meet. It must look like she’d been stood up to everyone who’d been there since she arrived. Lenox still hadn’t texted. She gave a frustrated sigh as she placed her order, and then covered her face with her hands. She’d come to the conclusion he wasn’t tragically hurt, but perhaps just ignoring her. Was it possible he just wasn’t that in to her? She had texted him when she’d arrived, he’d read it soon after but not responded. Didn’t he have the common courtesy to call? As Belle worked herself in to a silent rage, the door opened and he entered swiftly. Lenox saw her and moved to sit across from her, smiling as he reached out for her hand.

She retracted her hand from the table, and said pointedly, “you’re late.”

He looked away. “I’m sorry. I should’ve called. I got stuck in a meeting, then on a conference call on my way here.”

Work was really a great excuse. She knew he was busy, she knew he had a million other things to do, but it still bothered her. Belle didn’t want to seem too worried, or let him on to how worried she had been, but she firmly believed in forgiveness and accepted his apology. 

“It’s okay,” she said after a moment of silence. “It looked like I got stood up for a while.”

“I would never stand you up. It won’t happen again,” he said, reassuring her as he began to scan the menu.

Just as she was going to start her speech on why she wasn’t going to start her speech, she saw Will and Ana rise from their table and head her way. Belle didn’t have time to hide, and felt more awkward than ever as he caught her eye and gave her a small, forced smile. 

“Hi, Ana,” she said as the blonde woman passed her. “Hi, Will,” she said in a quieter voice.

Lenox looked up abruptly from the menu and gave Will a once-over.

This was terribly uncomfortable, really. Neither couple knew what to say, but nobody seemed to remember how to move. Belle finally said, “This is Lenox. He’s the CEO of the company I work for.”

“Why didn’t I introduce him as my boyfriend?” thought Belle, cursing herself mentally. 

Will and Ana nodded, not even pretending to be impressed.

“Nice to meet you,” offered Lenox, his eyes darting between Will and Belle. 

“Well,” said Ana, looking towards the door, “we’ve got to get back to school. See you later, Belle.”

Belle held her breath until they exited the café, then gave a sigh of relief once they were out of eyeshot.

“That was…” began Lenox.

“Horrible,” Belle finished the thought for him. 

She was happy for Will, but hadn’t planned on seeing him for so soon after ending things with him. It was horrible to be such perfect strangers with nothing to say, after being each other’s best friend for so long. The feeling of friendship had faded over the years, of course, but it was sad nonetheless. 

Lenox transitioned the conversation smoothly to tell her a funny story about something that had happened during the meeting, and the mood turned from tense to light as they chatted. Belle smiled to herself as the waiter gave her a little “thumbs up” upon seeing her date had shown up. She was so content to be seen with him, so content to just talk with him about their days spent apart. If everything kept going her way, Belle wanted to spend all her days with him. Even the simplest things he said fascinated her.

“Don’t you want to talk to me about the regional manager job?” she asked, feeling secure enough to approach the subject. 

“You’re going to take it, I assume. There’s not much to talk about,” he said, confident as he ate his turkey sandwich which he had ordered per her recommendation. 

She drew in a deep breath. She could do this. “No, I’m not.” 

He dropped his attention from his food, and looked at her with a curious expression. “Go on,” he allowed.

She explained everything she had told Jefferson to him. This job was good, but not her dream. She could do it, but she didn’t want to. Her heart told her not to take it, and she was going to comply. Her general idea about her future was that she would look in to some majors that interested her, and return to college with the money she had saved after never taking vacations and being a careful coupon-er. 

As she finished her speech, he shook his head. “You never fail to surprise me,” he said, his expression unreadable.

“Are you…. Are you mad?” she said, scared of his reply.

“I understand that it’s what’s best for you. But you’re putting me in a horrible position, Belle… I’m going to have to hire Zelena Verde,” Lenox said with a grimace. 

This is where she began to smile. “No, you don’t.”

Belle explained her plan to him with confidence. She told him to give the regional manager job to Jefferson, but to move the headquarters for the Midwest to Storybrooke so he wouldn’t have to move his daughter. If they lessened the hours of the job, he could do it easily and also manage the Storybrooke store. He was fully qualified and could use the extra income. Lenox listened, nodding occasionally. 

“What you’re asking me to do is change a position almost completely to give it to your friend,” he said flatly.

“You can’t do it?”

“I can, but I’ll have to think on it more,” he said, pulling out his phone and typing rapidly. He smirked as he read whatever had been sent to him in response, but didn’t share the joke. Belle fidgeted uncomfortably in her chair as he continued to watch his phone instead of her, feeling left out. Not being visibly upset with her was good, but she wanted him to at least talk about it more. 

“Are you going to look up from that thing and talk to me?” Belle hissed, growing more and more irritated at the device he carried everywhere. “You’re busy. I know. But I’d like for you to be focused on me when we’re together,” she said, voice reprimanding. She had made it a practice not to look at her phone when she was out being social, out of respect for whoever she was with. He suddenly felt very distant from her.

“Don’t be mad at me,” she said quietly, feeling more like an annoyed mother than a girlfriend.

Lenox sighed, and then said, “I’m not mad. I’m figuring out logistics of moving the position to Storybrooke. You just… you really threw a wrench in to my plans for us. You’d rather be unemployed then work for me. If you moved to the city, you could just move in to my place in Chicago…”

Oh. He’d really thought this through for them. She hadn’t really thought about them as a couple when she said no to the job, but assumed he would be okay with visiting her in Storybrooke when he visited Chicago. 

She reached her hand out to cover his, a simple gesture to assure him she was invested in their relationship. 

“I do want there to be an us, Lenox. I just need time to think about what I really want to do with my life.” 

“You could always just live with me,” he said quickly, “you don’t have to work if you don’t want to. I can take care of any expenses.”

Belle half-gasped, feeling shocked. Did he think she wanted to be some kind of trophy wife? She had ambitions and sought to be independent. Even when she was with Will, she made sure people saw her separate and she wasn’t just one of a pair. For Lenox to assume she wanted to depend on him was a rude awakening. He probably thought it was a kind gesture, to allow her to depend on him fully, but she wasn’t seeing it that way. Though she didn’t know what career she wanted, she knew sitting around his house wasn’t it. 

“No, thanks,” she said, scooting her chair back, “I’d like to actually make a name for myself, not just depend on you.”

“That’s not what I meant,” he insisted, rising from his chair as she did.

“What did you mean then? You want me to use you for your money?” she spat, exiting the restaurant. He followed behind her, stumbling over words of apology. He hadn’t meant to insinuate that she couldn’t do anything, but that’s what she had taken it as. 

They reached her car and he grabbed her wrist to stop her from getting in without talking to him.

“Belle, I’ve dated women who just wanted me for my money. I’m confident you’re not one of them. I just meant that you could always take a break and let me worry about money for you as you figure out what you want to do,” he said, a last ditch effort to save her from being angry.

“No, thanks. I have plenty of money. I don’t need charity,” she said, getting in to her car. 

He watched her sadly as she drove away from the parking lot, dejected. None of that had gone how he’d expected it to.

-  
Belle was in a tizzy when she arrived at the Swan-Jones’ apartment. Not expecting anyone to be home, she stomped in through the front door and was startled when Emma appeared, eyeing her warily.

“Something wrong, Belle?” she said, raising her eyebrows at her friend.

“Yes, something is wrong,” Belle huffed, taking Emma’s hand and leading her to the living room couch.

“I’ve got like fifteen minutes before I need to be back at the station. I just came back here to grab my cell. I forgot it this morning,” said Emma, “so can this be quick?”

Emma didn’t really want to rush Belle when she was clearly upset, but she really didn’t have the time.

Belle nodded, lip quivering. “To make it short, I went out with Lenox today.” 

Emma knew that was happening, Belle had asked her what lipstick shade she should wear about fifteen times.

She took in a deep breath, and continued, “I told him I didn’t want the job, and he just distanced himself from me. Got on his phone, didn’t talk to me about it. Then, he said something nice about wanting me to move in with him, and then he made some comment that I could just use his money, which made it seem like I was a trophy and not a woman, and he said I didn’t really have to work if I was going to be with him, but then he insisted that’s not what he meant… It’s all such a mess, Emma,” Belle cried, burying her head in her friend’s shoulder.

Emma stiffened briefly, but cautiously took her arm and stroked her Belle’s hair as she shook. That was a long story.

“He wants to move in with you after one date?” Emma began, not sure where to attack the problems Belle had just presented. 

“That’s what you got from that?!” said Belle, exasperatedly.

“He probably didn’t mean to make you feel inferior. He just wanted you to know you could depend on him, if you needed too,” Emma said, getting in to her “advice” mode.

Belle moved her head from Emma’s shoulder and looked at her with her big, sad, blue eyes.

“You think so?”

“Yes, babe, I think so. You threw him for a loop when you didn’t take the job; he was thinking on his feet… he’s a person. People don’t always say the right thing.”

Belle gave a small nod. “I guess I may have overreacted.”

Emma smiled. “Maybe. You should call him and apologize; I’m sure he feels terrible.”

With a grimace, Belle pulled out her phone. She had a couple missed calls from Lenox, but he hadn’t left any messages. She dialed him back, but was met with his voicemail. He had mentioned he was in meetings the rest of the day. She threw her phone across the room. 

“He didn’t pick up?” Emma guessed, leaving the couch to get Belle’s phone.

“No,” said Belle, stretching herself out to lie on the couch comfortably.

Emma handed Belle her phone back, and turned on the TV. “The Proposal is on. Watch that, and then call him. I’ve gotta go to work, but I’ll be home for dinner. Call me if you need me.”

Belle waved her friend off, and settled in to watch the movie. It was one of her favorite romantic comedies, so it was luck that it was on TV as she stressed about her relationship.

-  
Belle must’ve dozed off, because when she woke up the last thing she remembered was Sandra Bullock and Betty White dancing around a campfire while Ryan Reynolds looked on incredulously. Someone was knocking on the door, so she quickly got up and smoothed out her wrinkled dress and frizzy hair.

She yawned as she pulled open the door, hoping it was just a girl selling cookies.

It wasn’t.

Lenox was in front of her, holding out a bouquet of flowers and wearing a suit and a nervous smile.

“Hi,” she said, taking the flowers from him.

“Hi,” he repeated back to her.

“Um, come in,” she said, moving to let him enter the household.

He followed her to the kitchen, where they each took a seat at the high stools that surrounded the island. Declining her offer of a drink, Lenox nervously tapped the countertop as Belle poured herself an iced tea. She then put the flowers in a vase, noticing the card on them just said, “Belle”. 

“I want to apologize,” they said at the same time once Belle was seated.

They laughed briefly, and then Belle became serious.

“I majorly overreacted today, and I’m sorry.”

Lenox shrugged. “It was a dumb thing for me to assume things about you. I didn’t mean that I thought you couldn’t provide for yourself. I’m sure you can, I just wanted you to know you can count on me to help you.”

Belle nodded earnestly, and said “I understand. I’m really, really happy you’re not mad at me about the job.”

“You’re doing what’s right for you, and I respect that.”

“You sure you want to date a college student?” she said, motioning to some flyers for different colleges she had picked up in recent days that were scattered on the counter.

He grinned. “Never too late to go back to school, sweetheart.”

He turned solemn as he said, “And if you need a letter of recommendation, I think the CEO of your company could help…” 

Belle laughed as she gave his shoulder a playful push, and they stood from the stools they had been sitting on.

“I’ve got to go get drinks with a supplier, and I so wish you could come with me,” said Lenox as he walked hand in hand with her to the door. 

“Why can’t I?” she said, now looking up at him as they stood together on the porch. Her heels had been abandoned several hours earlier, and the height difference was more noticeable now. Big height differences in couples had always been endearing to her, and he was a good bit taller than her. 

“He makes too many crude jokes,” he explained, “I only meet with him once or twice a year because of it. The bar is no place for me to introduce you to him.”

“If you say so…” she said, doubtful.

“But, I do want you to clear your plans on September 14th.”

“Why’s that?” she asked, intrigued. September 14th was a few days away.

“There’s a big corporate charity banquet in New York. Everyone will be there,” he said, watching her happily as she began to smile.

“Really? You want me to go?”

“There’s nobody else I’d rather have on my arm, Belle. I’ll arrange plane tickets as soon as you say yes.”

Belle nodded, feigning seriousness. “I’ll clear my schedule.”

They moved in to a warm embrace before he went down the stairs towards his rental car.

“By the way, put in your two weeks tomorrow, and tell Jefferson I’ll be in touch.” he said before climbing in to the drivers’ seat.

This was all getting very interesting.


	7. Welcome Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle wakes up to find she’s sick on the morning of the charity gala. She attends anyway, and meets some interesting characters. Lenox insists she flies home early, but he doesn’t leave her side for too long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven’t updated this in forever! In return for that, it’s an especially long update. Cora, Zelena, Sea Devil, and Neal are all in this chapter. Thank you to my sweet friends who made me extend the Cora and Zelena scenes ;). I hope you enjoy!

The morning of the gala arrived, and Belle had never felt worse. She had been taking all her vitamins and rubbing door handles with Clorox wipes in order to avoid the cold that Emma and Killian were both suffering from. Her vast army of precautions against germs had failed her, and she woke up with a pounding headache, sore throat, and stuffy nose. She was supposed to be packed for a weekend in New York City with Lenox, but she had been so exhausted the previous night that she had fallen asleep in her work clothes.

Speaking of Lenox, he was picking her up in an hour. Belle forced herself out of bed, stumbling in to kitchen to steal some of Emma’s cold medicine. She swallowed the abnormally large pill and made a cup of coffee, trying to wake herself up so she could pack with a clear mind. Everything seemed foggy. It was too early. She suddenly began coughing, causing Emma to stir on the couch. Belle hadn’t realized she was there.

“Sorry, Emma,” Belle whispered, her throat scratchy. “I didn’t know you were there.”

“Killian couldn’t stop coughing last night, and I couldn’t sleep,” said Emma, sitting up slightly. “I bet you have what he has.”

“No, I can’t. I’m going to New York,” said Belle, sipping the hot coffee as quickly as she could.

“You’re going to want to load up on tissues and medicine, then,” said Emma. “And make sure you know which is the night-time and which is regular.”

Belle reached for the box she had just taken medicine from, wide-eyed. Night time. She’d be out like a light in about twenty minutes if she let this run its course, but maybe the coffee would counteract it. It had to. Belle returned to her room, frantically shoving in her new dress for the charity dinner, toiletries, shoes, makeup, and cold medicine for a weekend. She swiped some cover up under her eyes so the tired bags underneath them weren’t as prominent, and put on some lip gloss. Belle had started to comb out her hair, but realized it was a waste of time and opted to put it up in a messy ponytail instead. It was a natural look, very airport friendly. There was a knock at the door just as she’d forced her bag to zip up properly.

Arriving at the door, Belle realized she was still wearing her skirt and cardigan from the day before. It would have to do. She smiled as she opened the door. Lenox was waiting for her; the most dressed-down she’d ever seen him in jeans and button-up shirt. He whispered a good morning and took her bag from her, kissing her on the cheek as they made their way to the waiting car. Belle hoped her luggage didn’t seem too heavy to him, but her last trip to New York taught her it was better to always over prepare.

After getting settled in the car, Lenox looked at her curiously.

“Not a morning person, sweetheart?”

“What do you mean,” Belle mumbled, clearing her throat. It was still killing her to talk.

“You’re normally chatty. I figured you’d be bouncing with excitement,” he explained, smiling.

Belle reached to hold his hand. “I’m just… sick, I think. Emma and Killian both had a cold, and I think they gave it to me,” she said, closing her eyes. “So if you don’t want to hold my hand, that’s okay.”

Lenox held on. “I don’t get sick. I’ve got a great immune system. Are you sure you want to go? I don’t want you to feel horrible the whole time.”

“I’m a big girl. I want to be there for you,” Belle assured him, eyes still closed. Her head hurt less when her eyes were closed.

He seemed worried, still. Lenox moved the radio to quiet classical music and watched Belle fall asleep. He woke her up gently when they got to the airport, asking if she really wanted to fly.

“Yeah,” she said groggily, “I’m okay, really, I’m fine. I feel better already.”

That was a bold-faced lie, but he guided her through security with ease and they made their flight on time. She and Lenox boarded together, and she realized for the first time that she would be flying first class. She beamed at him as they sat down, her first genuine smile of the day. He winked as they sat down, and Belle looked around. It was the same as business class, really, but with more leg room, and the stewardess offered her a beverage immediately. It was heaven.

“This is amazing,” she said, “thank you so much!”

“It’s no problem at all. I hope you’re feeling better now.”

“I am,” she assured him, “Much better than the first time we met on a plane.”

“That was quite the day for you. I hope today is better.”  
“Me too. It will be. You’re with me.”

He smiled at that, and then they listened to the flight attendant’s speech on safety.

“I’ve got that memorized,” he whispered to her.

She smirked and started to reply, but began coughing instead. He looked concerned, and began to rub her back as she half-doubled over. “Are you sure you want to go? I can make them turn the plane around,” he said in a low voice, seeing that the other passengers were watching Belle with mild interest.

“No,” she said when she had caught her breath, “when we get there, I’m loading up on cold medicine and getting ready. It’s going to be fine.”

She was determined and stubborn, if nothing else, he would give her that. He settled back into his seat, watching her out of the corner of his eye. Lenox had planned to say something about falling for her on an airplane, but she was half-asleep and wouldn’t appreciate it fully. He could tell her on the way back. There wasn’t any point to him flying back to Chicago with her just to fly back to New York the next day, but he liked spending time with her and could afford to do so. Belle captivated him with her clever spirit and genuine self.

Belle soon fell asleep, her head resting on his shoulder. Lenox pulled out the newspaper he had purchased at an airport shop, half-reading it, half-watching Belle to make sure she was okay. The flight went smoothly, no turbulence to bother her. Hopefully, she would feel better after she was rested. He shook her shoulder softly, stirring her from her slumber as they began to descend.

“Did I sleep the whole time?” she asked, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the plane’s lights.

“Yeah, sweetheart. We’re here,” he said, opening the window next to him, New York’s skyline growing closer and closer as they made their way down to the runway.

“I’m sorry!” Belle said, “I didn’t mean to sleep the whole time, really, I accidentally took nighttime cold medicine, and it wore me out.”

“Don’t worry,” he said, amused that she had taken night time medicine at 11am, “Do you feel better now?”

She nodded. “My headache is gone, but my ears are popping and it still hurts to talk.”

“We can pick something up from a pharmacy so you’re okay tonight, if you’re absolutely sure you want to go. We can skip it.”

She pushed his shoulder. “Lenox! You’re the CEO! We have to go!”

“Ah, right, the CEO thing….”

It was their turn to exit the plane, grabbing their overhead luggage and making their way towards the exit. A driver was waiting for them.

“Another limousine?” asked Belle, smiling.

“Of course. I’m the CEO,” he reminded her with a grin.

They got into the limousine that was theirs, and Belle watched outside the window eagerly as the New York morning bustled on outside their car. They arrived to a hotel, and Belle’s turned to Lenox in disbelief.

“We’re staying at The Plaza?” she exclaimed, reaching over to kiss him.

“Yeah, and if I’d known it would make you that happy, I would’ve booked it for a week, not three nights.”

“That must be expensive! Don’t you have a place here?” asked Belle.

He shrugged. “This is special. My apartment isn’t.”

Belle had never felt more like a princess in her life, smiling at the attendants who took their bags from them. After just telling him she didn’t want to use his money, she felt a bit guilty that was enjoying this as much as she was. Belle walked up the red-carpeted steps slowly, Lenox at her side with his hand resting on the small of her back. Belle looked around, amazed at the ornate detail of the glittering lobby.

“You look around, I’ll check us in,” said Lenox, leaving Belle by herself.

Belle continued to walk around slowly, taking in all the careful features of the hotel. If this was simply the entrance, their room must be amazing. Their room. She was spending the night with him. She looked over and saw he was walking over to join her with their room pass in his hand, and she met him halfway. Before she could thank him, she sneezed.

“Bless you,” he said, frowning.

“Thanks,” she said, pulling a tissue out of her purse. “Let’s go see about this room.”

He obliged, and they followed an employee’s directions to their room. Opening the door, Belle gasped. Ornate decorations – everything from the gold plated fixtures to the crystal chandelier – were at least a hundred times nicer than anything she’d ever seen in her life. Even the bathroom was beautifully created; it would almost be a shame to use it. After inspecting it all thoroughly, Belle collapsed on to the huge bed with a laugh. Lenox looked like he was going to join her, but his cell phone began to ring. He sighed as he read who was calling, then answered, pacing the room as Belle watched.

“Mills, what’s wrong?” he asked, sounding annoying. It was Regina Mills, the woman who had hated Belle. She’d definitely be there tonight, and Belle needed to be confident and charming so she wouldn’t make a bad second impression. It wasn’t like she was terribly worried about the woman liking her… only she was.

Lenox nodded every now and then as he listened to whatever Regina was saying, then sighed. “I’ll be over in five minutes.”

He ended the call, and looked over at Belle, who was resting on her stomach, watching him.

“As much as I’d love to join you, Regina’s having some kind of crisis. Something with the catering, or the venue, or the speaker… Or maybe all three of those. I have to go fix it. I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he said, sitting down next to her. She sat up and nodded.

“Do what you have to do. I’ll be fine. I have to get ready, anyway.”

“So do I. I’m going to change, then I’m out the door,” he said. He went in to the bathroom, and exited in a suit Belle was sure cost four digits. “Right then,” he said, “There’s something for you in the bathroom. I’ll meet you downstairs when you’re ready. Take some medicine, too, so you’ll feel better.”

“Yes, doctor,” she said, giggling as he kissed her goodbye and wondering what was in the bathroom.

With Lenox gone, Belle had the extravagant room to herself. Although her head had stopped its insistent pounding, her ears were popping almost every time she swallowed, and her throat felt scratchy and raw. Opening her bag, she shifted through the various pills’ she had stolen from Emma and Killian’s kitchen drawer. Finding the cold medicine matching her symptoms, she grabbed a chilled water bottle from the mini-fridge in her room and took the drugs. She had never taken something from a hotel fridge before – this water bottle alone probably cost more than her last meal in Storybrooke.

Grabbing her laptop out of bag, Belle googled “Gold’s Charity Gala”. Several articles popped up, and Belle learned that the event had been going on annually for six years, always in the fall and always in The Plaza’s Grand Ballroom. Corporate employees, partners, and various models and celebrities attended, paying an amount that made Belle choke on her water for a seat at the dinner. The money made then was donated back to World Relief, helping the community worldwide with the generosity of others. Clicking a recent article, Belle found the last gala had a small red carpet. Lenox was on the best dressed list, described as the “under the radar, stylish CEO”, and the article noted he didn’t have a date. After scrolling through several more photos, Belle realized the dress she had packed was probably horribly wrinkled. She opened her suitcase and took out of the plastic-covered gown, hanging it up carefully in a closet. She’d purchased it online with Ruby’s help – it was a soft yellow color with a scoop neck, and its satin-y material was formfitting until just below her waist, where it fell into layers of chiffon. It was a beautiful dress, and the most expensive thing Belle owned.

Remembering Lenox said something was waiting for her, she walked in. A small jewelry box sat by the sink. There was a card on top, and Belle opened it up. The note read, “To my Belle. Sincerely yours, Lenox.” He was truly a romantic, Belle would give him that. Opening up the tiny box carefully, two tiny, golden, raindrop shaped earrings revealed themselves. She smiled. They would go perfectly with her dress.

Realizing she only had a couple hours to get ready; Belle showered and removed the airplane smell from her body, and worked her hair through shampoo and conditioner. The hot air had helped clear up her sinuses, and she felt a lot better as she slipped into a comfy hotel robe. She sprayed her hair until it agreed to work with her, and then curled it. She applied her makeup carefully, cursing herself when she sneezed and had to redo one eye’s mascara and eyeshadow completely. Belle felt like she was getting ready for prom. She snapped a quick selfie, and sent it to her friend’s group message. They assured her she wasn’t overdone, and Belle felt better about her appearance.

With her hair and makeup done, Belle put on the earring’s from Lenox and a simple gold chain necklace she had brought from home. She slipped into the dress, making sure not to get any makeup on it, and sprayed on some perfume. Checking her phone again, Belle knew it was time to go. She put her phone and her room key in her clutch, and headed out the door after texting Lenox to say she was on her way.

The Grand Ballroom wasn’t difficult to find, and several reporters and equally-fancied up people milled about the entrance.

Belle saw the red-carpet out of the corner of her eye, spotting some mildly recognizable celebrities and a few corporate people she knew. Skipping the carpet, she headed for the door. A worker with a clipboard stopped her. “Name?” they asked, looking Belle up and down.

Before Belle could reply, Lenox was at her side. “She’s with me, Nancy, thank you,” he said, ushering Belle through. The Ballroom was wall-to-wall golden, and the sparkling crystal chandeliers and glistening mirrors enchanted her. “You look marvelous,” Lenox whispered in to her ear, after being stopped by several people to shake hands. He introduced her to everyone as his girlfriend, and Belle was sure her blush grew deeper each time.

“Let’s get to our seats,” he said, looking around the room. “I think we’re at Table One,” he said, stepping towards the front of the room but stopping in his tracks.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, trying to see what he was seeing.

“Regina somehow has Zelena Verde and Cora Milhouse at that table. I don’t even know how Zelena got invited. We’re not sitting there,” he said, sounding infuriated. He walked to the table closest to them, picking off two name cards. “Kris and Anna Aren are going to be sitting at Table One now. Lucky them,” he said, passing their cards off to a roaming waiter.

“Are they really that bad?” asked Belle, sitting down next to Lenox.

“Yes,” he said bitterly, “and I’d rather they weren’t here.”

Belle pursed her lips, unsure of how to reply. Instead of saying something, she watched as several people came up to talk to Lenox and watched the minor celebrities enter. She would go talk to them, but couldn’t think of anything to say. It was incredibly loud as more and more people filled in, and she tapped Lenox on the shoulder. He turned to look at her.

“You should get up and go socialize. I’m good here,” she said with a small smile. “Your people need you!”

“Okay,” he said after thinking for a moment. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said, leaving her to sit. A few people were now occupying her table, and Belle introduced herself. She recognized Camille de Ville, but not the pretty African American woman next to her. Camille shook Belle’s hand, saying she had heard of her, and introduced her to her girlfriend, Ursula Oxford. They all chatted until a tall redhead took a seat next to Belle, interrupting her conversation with the two women.

“Hi!” said the woman brightly, “I couldn’t help but notice that you entered with Lenox Gold? I’m Zelena Verde,” she explained, reaching to shake Belle’s hand. She had a British accent, and was wearing a gaping v-neck dress and gaudy jewelry. Belle recoiled a bit in her seat, uncomfortable. This was the woman who openly tried to hook up with Lenox. “Isn’t Lenox divine?”

Belle paused. “Yes, that’s why I’m dating him.”

The woman raised her eyebrows. “Dating? Lenox doesn’t date, dear.”

“He’s dating me,” Belle said firmly.

Zelena looked flustered. “Since when? I’ve been trying to get the man to go out with me for ages, and he’s always said he doesn’t have the time.”

Belle replied with a sweet smile. “He made time for me.”

Zelena stuttered, unsure of how to reply. She finally whispered, “He’ll be done with you in a week, I’m sure of it,” her voice dripping with venom.

Belle could only smile again in response. “Your relationships might last a week, but I assure you, Lenox and I are both very committed.” Killing people with kindness was one of Belle’s best attributes, learned after dealing with difficult customers over the years.

The redhead was staring at Belle with some mix of rage and jealousy, but before Zelena could reply, someone tapped on Belle’s shoulder. It was a man around her age, dressed in a suit. “Belle?” he asked. “My dad said I should talk to you, I’m Neal.”

Belle rose from her seat. “Neal! Of course,” she said. “Bye Zelena,” she continued, winking at the woman who was still staring at her.

Stepping away from the table, Belle was overwhelmed with gratitude for this stranger, whose warm brown eyes gave him away as his father’s son. “Thank you so much, I think she was about to eat me,” Belle whispered, glancing over at where Zelena was now sitting alone.

“Your eyes were screaming for help,” he said with a laugh, then officially introduced himself. “I’m Neal Gold. I think you’re dating my dad.” 

She smiled. “Yeah. Hi. I’m Belle. It’s so nice to meet you; your dad has told me all about you!”

“Good things, I hope,” he said. Before he could say anymore, Lenox joined them. “Just the two people I wanted to see! I think the speaker is about to start. Let’s go take our seats. Neal, I moved Belle and I to Table Four. Do you want to sit with us?”

Neal shrugged. “I’m at Table Two. I think some of the models are there. I’m not switching.”

Lenox laughed. “Okay, son. Don’t leave without saying goodbye.”

“I know, dad,” said Neal before heading over to his table.

Belle and Lenox walked hand-in-hand back to their seats, and their dinner was soon in front of them. It was a multi-course affair, with bread, soup, salad, an entrée, and dessert… Belle didn’t think she’d be able to fit into the dress she was wearing ever again after this. The speaker from World Relief was interesting, flipping through photos of what past gala’s had been able to do in third world countries and for disaster relief. Belle felt proud of Lenox for putting this together, and squeezed his hand as the speaker thanked the Gold family and business for their commitment to making the world a better place.

There was a brief pause after the speaker, and Belle asked Lenox if he was going to talk.

“Me? No. Regina is saying something, I think.”

Belle was going to reply, but instead began to cough. As the night went on and she talked to various people, she felt the general icky feeling coming back and her medication wearing off. She hadn’t thought to put any in her clutch, and apologized after her fit ended to the people at her table.

Regina Mills took the stage, speaking comfortably into the microphone.

“Friends, Partners, Sponsors, Spokespeople… I thank you all for coming. I’m Regina Mills, Vice President of Gold’s Inc. I speak on behalf of my boss, Lenox Gold, and my whole staff when I say your presence is noted and appreciated. Let’s give a round of applause for the amazing Plaza staff for this meal and this beautiful venue,” she said, pausing for the applause.

“This is our seventh gala. I’m happy to say we don’t see when they’ll end, because our production numbers continue to rise. Our profits are great, and customer satisfaction is greater. We only hire the best of employees, but I’m sure you all knew that. And I’m sure you’re all wondering – what’s next? What can we do next to surprise the public?”

The crowd rustled, and Lenox looked puzzled.

“What’s wrong?” whispered Belle.

“I don’t know what’s next,” he said, watching Regina suspiciously.

Regina beamed, continuing her speech. “When Gold’s was established, we took an unknown woman and put her in an advertisement that jump started her supermodel career. We are happy to announce that Cora Milhouse is back, and she’ll be the new face of our company,” said Regina. Cora stood from her seat and waved idly at the crowd, who clapped politely.

“Along with a new spokesperson, we’ll continue to work to expand to all fifty states, and look in to further North American expansion. Customer satisfaction will remain a priority, as will giving back to charities, like with this event. Thank you all for coming, and please drive home safely,” Regina finished, stepping off stage.

Belle looked at Lenox. He was grimacing. “You know,” he said, his voice dangerously calm, “I’d love it if she told me these things before she told a whole crowd of people.”

“Lenox-” Belle began, getting up from her seat as everyone else was moving to leave.

“I have to go talk to Regina. Cora won’t be working here,” he said, taking Belle’s hand and moving towards the front of the room.

Belle stood a few feet away as Regina and Lenox argued, overhearing bits and pieces of the conversation – “you didn’t even tell me you were going after her” “the contract just closed, I couldn’t have told you”. Belle stood, feeling herself grow sleepier. A tall woman was at her side, snapping herself out of zoning out.

“I’m Cora,” said the woman, with an unnaturally wide smile. Belle felt small next to her, and she knew the woman was a supermodel because something about her made you never want to look away. She was captivating.

Belle blinked, then thought to respond. “I’m Belle.”

“Corporate things are such a drag. You a model?” she asked, doing a scan of Belle’s outfit.

“Oh- no. I’m here with him,” she said, motioning to Lenox, whose arms were crossed as he and Regina spoke heatedly.

Cora eyed Belle interestedly. “Lenox Gold?”

Belle nodded. “The one and only.”

“I used to date him, you know,” Cora said quietly. “So, did he buy those, or did you?” she asked, motioning to Belle’s earrings. When Belle didn’t reply, Cora tilted her head and made a “hmm” noise. 

There was an uncomfortable silence as the two women stood watching Lenox, but luckily he had looked over and saw his current and former flame talking and joined them.

“Cora,” he said with a nod. “Belle, I think we should go now,” he said.

Belle nodded, taking his arm as they exited. Zelena was lingering at the exit, and Belle caught her staring at her and Lenox. She was desperate.

Walking back to their room, Belle felt her headache returning. They entered, and Belle sighed.

“What’s wrong?” said Lenox.

“My head is pounding again. And I’m all stuffy. And I’m tired,” whispered Belle, unzipping her dress and quickly stepping in to the big t-shirt she had laying out as pajamas. If he had been planning on getting any further than kissing tonight, it couldn’t happen, not when she could barely think straight for more than five minutes.

He nodded and kissed her forehead, and didn’t push anything else. Belle climbed under the covers, falling asleep easily. She dreamt of dancing in a yellow ball gown in The Plaza’s lobby, waking up every now and then, feeling feverish. Lenox was fast asleep on the other side of the bed each time she woke. Belle woke up for real when light streamed in through the curtains. As she began to stir, she woke Lenox up. He pulled a room-service menu down out of the night stand and ordered breakfast for the two of them.

“Belle,” he whispered.

“Yeah,” she said, hearing the crack in her voice as it pained her to talk. Her body hurt to move, and she felt even worse than she had the previous morning.

“I think you have a fever,” he said, reaching his hand over her forehead. “I think you need to go home.” 

Belle turned to face him. “No, Lenox, we had plans!”

“And you’re sick, so our plans won’t be any fun for you. Camille and Ursula are going to Chicago on a private plane today, and I’m going to see if I can get you on it.”

Belle wanted to reply, but she also wanted to cry. She hated being sick. He was right, she didn’t feel like going anywhere today, and she couldn’t just lie around all day.

“Okay,” she said softly. Lenox pulled out his phone, making various calls. Belle was going to Chicago with Camille and Ursula, and Emma was going to pick her up from the airport. Emma, it seemed, had made a full recovery, so Belle would probably be fine in 48 hours, but she felt like death for now.

Lenox gathered her things for her and made sure she ate something and took some medicine, and then called a taxi to get her to where Camille would be waiting for her. It was not the end to her trip she had planned, but she was too weak to fight it.

\--  
Arriving home, Belle fell asleep in her room without unpacking. Emma had told her Killian was still fighting a small cold, but she thought Belle might have the actual flu, with her body aches and fever.

Later that evening, Belle felt well enough to sit with the couple as they ate Chinese take-out. There was a knock at the door, and Emma frowned. They weren’t expecting company, but she went to answer it anyway.

“Belle,” called Emma, “come see who it is.”

Belle had a feeling she knew, and sure enough, it was her boyfriend. Lenox stood on the porch, presenting a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked.

“I thought you could use some cheering up,” he said softly.

Belle could’ve jumped him right then, if she hadn’t felt too weak to jump. She was so lucky to have this wonderful man that kept flying places for her, kept trying to make sure she was alright. Instead of making a move, she hugged him and welcomed him in, thanking him wordlessly with her smile.

Emma and Killian took Belle’s unspoken hint, moving their takeout containers to their room and closing the door. Belle grabbed two spoons from the drawer, and Lenox settled on the living room couch, setting the ice cream on the coffee table in front of him. When she entered, he raised his eyebrows. 

“No bowls?”

“We don’t need a bowl, we’ve got the tub,” said Belle with a laugh, handing him a spoon and sitting down next to him. She was cuddled to his side, her legs tangled with his. He had one arm around her, and one arm holding the ice cream tub that they were attacking together. Belle flipped the TV to a movie channel. Marley & Me was just beginning. Before Belle could flip it, Lenox grabbed the remote from her.

“I’ve never seen it. I want to see if it actually makes you cry,” he said, sounding amused.

She sighed and buried her head in his shoulder. “I’m not watching when the dog dies.”

“You’ve spoiled the whole thing!” he said.

She shrugged. “You asked for it.”

It was amazing that he remembered she had said this movie made her cry, and that she loved Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked. He was amazing. Belle sighed contently as they focused on the movie. She sniffled a bit and remembered she was sick - being with him made her feel better. 

The doctor definitely wouldn’t prescribe cuddling and ice cream when she went to her appointment the next day, but it was helping tonight.


	8. Adjusting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding herself with some extra free time, Belle visits her father. She sees an interesting magazine headline when she’s grocery shopping and talks it over with Ruby. Later, she goes to Lenox’s apartment for the first time.

It was a quiet morning for Belle and company. Emma went to the station, Killian went to the aquarium, and Belle stayed home. It was strange to have bid her friends off to their respective places of employment without leaving for work herself, but it was the new normal. Her last shift at Gold’s Department Store had been sad, but Jefferson had pulled together some of her coworkers and they’d had a memorable farewell party in the break room after hours on her last day. Jefferson would soon officially become the regional manager for the Midwest, and a woman named Mulan was hired to be his assistant to handle the Storybrooke location. It was a good situation, and Belle was happy with the hands she left the store in.

It was unusual for Belle to have the free time she was now enjoying. Pouring herself another cup of tea, she felt relaxed, but also on-edge. Free time made her nervous, because she liked to run on a schedule. The latter part of her day was planned (watching Leo Nolan, grocery shopping, meeting Lenox at his apartment), but the morning was free. She read a book she had borrowed from the local library for a while, but soon found the characters dull and the plot predictable.

An idea struck. She picked up her phone, made a phone call, and got in her car. She was going to visit her father. Maurice French was a retired salesman. He was elderly and stubborn in his ways, but Belle did try to call him once a week to see what he was up to. He insisted he didn’t need help around the house, but Belle wasn’t sure of that as she pulled up to the cabin he called home. The lawn was overgrown and full of weeds. After Belle’s mother, Collette, passed away unexpectedly, he purchased a quiet cabin on the far side of town. He often told her the wilderness gave him a sense of tranquility, but Belle suspected it was the only option that didn’t remind Maurice of his deceased wife.

Belle entered the house, finding her father sitting in his kitchen enjoying his lunch alone as a tiny TV rattled away on the counter.

“Hi dad,” she said, kissing his cheek and sitting next to him.

“Isabella,” he said with a grin. “What made you want to visit your dear old dad on a day like today?”

Belle didn’t want to tell him it was because she was bored, so she went in a different direction.

“I just missed you, dad. I haven’t been over in a bit,” she said, looking around at the dusty kitchen. “Are you sure you don’t want me to hire someone to clean it?” Her father definitely had the money to afford a maid service, but was too proud.

“No, Isabella. I can handle it myself.”

“Really?” said Belle, swiping her finger on the counter next to him and showing him the black powder that had come up.

“I’m fine,” he repeated. “Now, stop badgering your old man, and let’s talk about you, Isabella. When am I going to get a wedding invitation?”

Belle choked on her drink. “Pardon?” she sputtered.

Maurice smiled and patted Belle on the back. “Will Scarlett? The gentlemen you’ve been dating for years and years? I haven’t seen him around in a while actually,” said Maurice, sounding thoughtful.

“ _Shoot_ ,” thought Belle, trying to quickly explain everything that had happened in the last month of her life. She hadn’t told her dad her and Will had broken up, much less that she had a new boyfriend. She had glazed over her interview, simply telling him the job wasn’t for her. The gala had been excused as a work trip. Belle was going to tell him about Lenox and quitting her job, but she had planned on doing it in person and it looked like that was about to happen.

“We broke up,” said Belle in a cautious voice, watching her father’s eyes widen as he looked away from his bowl of soup to her.

“What happened?” he asked, sounding incredulous.

“I just realized we weren’t compatible anymore. We wanted different things,” explained Belle in what she hoped was a calming voice.

Maurice began to laugh. “My girl, I thought I’d never see the day!” he said, slapping his hand on his knee with a great belly laugh.

Belle shook her head, “I don’t understand, dad, I thought you loved Will.”

“I liked Will because you loved him, Isabella. You were so hung up on the guy in high school, then you managed long-distance through college, and I figured you’d be married in a year or so, but if you’re going to be independent, I’m proud of you for that,” he said.

Belle stiffened again. “I’m not single,” she said with a grimace.

He frowned. “You’re dating someone new and you didn’t tell me?”

“Yeah, his name is Lenox Gold and we met on the plane ride home from my interview,” she said, reaching for her phone. She showed him a photo of them taken at the gala, with her in her gorgeous yellow dress and him in his suit. Belle was smiling at the camera while Lenox was looking at her, a grin on his face. It was her background photo, not that she ever stared at it.

“Looks like a nice guy, he seems to clean up well,” said Maurice. “You’ll have to bring him over sometime.”

Belle fidgeted. “Maybe.”

Maurice sighed and returned to his meal. “Why aren’t you at work, Isabella? Did your schedule change?”

Time to drop another bomb. “No,” said Belle casually, “I quit.”

He dropped his spoon. “You quit?”

“Yeah. I didn’t like the job anymore. I’m going back to school,” she said, giving him a forced smile.

“Back to school? To do what?” he asked.

“Well, I’m not sure. I’m looking at English studies right now,” she said, and before she could continue, Maurice was laughing again.

“English studies? That’s useless, Belle. What, are you going to be a teacher?”

Belle felt herself straighten. “I just might. I would be an excellent teacher,” she said firmly.

He shrugged. “I’ve no doubt you would, but regardless, that’s a pay deficit and you’d have to work with children.”

“I like kids, and I can handle finances. You taught me how to do that,” she said, getting a smile out of him.

“I guess I wasn’t a useless father,” he said, suddenly nostalgic. “Your mom always said to me, she said, Maurice, you’ve got to be a good dad to Isabella, because -”

Belle knew her dad would get choked up and ramble on and on about her mother if given the chance, and she didn’t feel like crying today. “Dad?” she asked, stopping his story. “I’ve got to go. I told Mary Margaret I’d watch her baby,” she said, rising from her chair. She gave him a quick hug, but said, “and try and do something besides Wheel of Fortune today, alright?” before she left, hearing her father “hmmph” in response. They loved each other, but it was difficult for them to relate to each other. She would probably visit the community recreation center and pick up a pamphlet on senior activities and drop it in his mailbox.

Belle drove from her father’s house to Mary Margaret’s house, where David and Leo Nolan were anxiously awaiting her arrival. Almost as soon as she had knocked, the baby, a car seat and a diaper bag were in her hands.

“Thanks so much, Belle,” said David quickly, “I’ve got a conference call in 5 minutes. Mary Margaret will come pick him up from your house in a couple hours.”

And with that, he was gone. Belle looked at the baby in her hands, who was looking at her curiously. She worried he was going to cry, but he instead pulled at her long hair. Belle managed to loosen his grip on her hair, and situated the car seat in the back row of her car with her unoccupied arm. After strapping him in, they were on the road to the grocery store. Belle had a list from Killian and Emma and it was her turn to purchase the necessities for that week at their shared apartment. She didn’t mind paying for them since Emma insisted she didn’t have to pay rent, but it was slightly aggravating that her check for watching Leo would go right back out of her wallet for these groceries.

Situating Leo in the baby seat of the grocery cart, the two of them lazily went up and down the aisles. Strangers smiled at Belle and the baby, assuming he was hers as she waggled her fingers at him and caused him to smile and giggle. After getting everything she needed from the various aisles and double-checking her lists, she went to check out. Waiting behind someone with an extremely full cart, her eye was caught by the magazine display. She normally didn’t keep up with celebrity gossip, but People had a special edition on Kate Middleton that interested her. She reached for it, but noticed a name on the trashy National Enquirer magazine that was all too familiar.

“CEO AND SUPERMODEL ARE BACK ON” screamed the headline, accompanying a grainy photo of Lenox and Cora talking at the gala. Belle reached for it quickly, looking around to make sure nobody saw her. It was a despicable magazine, full of lies, and she knew that - the other cover story was on how Nicholas Cage was proven to be a vampire, but still. She felt her heart race as she flipped through to the full story, but the cashier stopped her.

“Ma’am?” said the nervous looking youth. “If you want to read the magazine, you have to buy it.”

Belle sighed and threw the magazine down on to the conveyor, pulling the People magazine off the rack as well. She had some reading to do when she got home.

\--  
After arriving home and situating Leo with a snack, Belle called Ruby. She needed a friend to help her deal with her boyfriend having a high profile that did, in fact, involve trashy reporters. Emma would be sensible in this situation and assure Belle that it didn’t matter, but reasonable wasn’t fun.

Belle opened the magazine in question. “Leo, can you believe people get paid to write this?” she said, looking at the baby who looked at her with his big, blue eyes in turn.

“I would tell you what the articles are about, but you’re too young,” she said, and he babbled something back that made her smile.

Belle flipped to the right page - the one on Lenox and Cora.

“Leo!” said Belle, “I’m famous! I’m in this magazine!” she said, pointing out her yellow dress in the back of a pixelated photo of the benefit dinner.

He didn’t seem impressed, turning back to his dish of crackers.

“Well, don’t ask me for an autograph in a week, buddy,” she said, biting her lip as she looked at the other photos.

They were mostly of Lenox and Cora individually, one of them together, and one of Regina talking. Belle squinted at the photo of them together, trying to figure out when they could’ve talked alone.

A knock at the door told her Ruby had arrived, and she welcomed her in.

“What’s up, Belle? And what’s up, baby?” she said, sitting at the table and cooing at Leo. He grinned back and her, and Ruby looked at the opened magazine.

“Is this the spread on your man?” she asked, taking it in to her hands. Belle nodded, and Ruby began to read the article out loud.

“Benefit dinner… blah blah blah… Cora was there… blah blah blah… They used to date… blah blah… Ooh. Oh. Belle. It says, ‘an insider tells us that Milhouse and Gold were talking heatedly before dinner, but that both of them spoke to many people throughout the evening, Milhouse arrived with no date but Gold was spotted interacting with an unidentified young woman several times throughout the evening ’,” said Ruby, looking at Belle nervously. “Are you the unidentified woman?”

“I would hope so,” said Belle, shifting in her seat and reading their description of her again, “I can’t believe I’m even mentioned in this. This is so crazy. The article doesn’t even have any solid evidence or proof of anything going on with Cora and Lenox.”

Ruby narrowed her eyes at the photo of Cora and Lenox together. “Yeah, I think they were fishing for readers with this story. I mean, they got you to buy it, right?” she said, nudging Belle in the shoulder playfully.

Belle sighed. “Yeah, they got me. I’m sure this is nothing. Journalism at its finest.”

Her friend closed the magazine. “It is nothing. And if you’re not sure, you could just ask him about it. When’s he coming back?” she asked, pulling Leo out of his high chair and onto her lap. She bounced him up and down gently as Belle replied, “Tonight. He’s been in Portland for almost all week.”

“A whole week? How did you cope?” asked Ruby.

Belle shrugged. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder, I guess,” she said.

“Don’t you miss him, for like,” she lowered her voice, glancing at the baby on her lap, “things?”

“Ruby!” said Belle, reaching over to cover the baby’s ears. She picked him off of Ruby’s lap and let him sit with her instead.

Ruby winked. “I’m just curious,” she said in sing-song voice.

Belle glared at her, then relented. “Alright, if you must know, we haven’t done anything,” she whispered dramatically.

Her friend raised her eyebrows, whispering back, “nothing?!”

“Pardon us for waiting,” said Belle, rolling her eyes.

“I thought for sure you’d have done something in New York,” said Ruby, looking confused.

“Well, I had the flu,” Belle reminded her, “and that killed the mood.”

Ruby nodded. “I guess so. You’re so vanilla.”

“And you’re not?” said Belle with a laugh. “Wait, I actually do not want to know.”

Ruby shrugged. “Your loss.”

The doorbell ringing ended their conversation. Mary Margaret had let herself in, and entered the room. “Hey guys,” she said, “what are we talking about?” She scooped Leo out of Belle’s lap, cuddling him to her chest.

“You don’t want to know,” said Ruby and Belle simultaneously.

Mary Margaret stepped away from them cautiously. “You two are something else,” she said, shaking her head. She grabbed Leo’s diaper bag from the corner of the room and handed Belle a check. “Thanks again, I’ll text you when we need you next,” she said, giving Belle as much a hug as she could with the baby in her arms.

“No problem,” said Belle, accepting the check and walking her to the door. Ruby decided to leave as well, but made Belle promise to put on something “hotter” for her dinner date. Apparently, a t-shirt and jeans wasn’t appropriate for an “it’s been a week and I missed you” dinner.

After saying goodbye to her friends, Belle cleaned up the crumbs leftover from Leo’s mess and looked in to her closet. She decided to wear a nice blue dress and brown ankle boots for her dinner with Lenox. Just as she was finishing her makeup touch-ups, she heard someone enter. Maybe Emma had gotten off work early, but it was odd that she didn’t text her… Peeking out of her room, Belle saw Killian fumbling with something at the kitchen counter.

Belle exited her room and stood at the opposite side of the counter. “Hi Killian,” she said, but it sounded like a question.

He looked up from the tiny jewelry box in his hands. “Hi Belle. I’m home early, because, I- uh, I had to stop somewhere.”

Belle raised her eyebrows. “Somewhere? The jewelry store?”

He sighed, biting his lip. He picked up the box and opened it, revealing a sparkling engagement ring.

Belle gasped. “Really?!”

He nodded. “Aye. But don’t tell Emma, I’m still planning it all out.”

Belle ran over and hugged him. “This is so exciting! She’s going to be so happy.”

“You think so?” he asked, smiling slightly as they both admired the ring.

“I know it. I’ve gotta go to dinner now, but don’t worry, I won’t breathe a word of this to Emma,” Belle promised before heading out the door.

“Thanks, Belle,” he said, hiding the ring box in the far corner of one of their unused cabinets.

\--  
It was Belle’s first time visiting Lenox in his downtown apartment. They’d always just gone out and met somewhere, and he’d been to her place plenty of times, but she’d never been to his. Belle felt excited to finally get to see where he lived, and anxiously arrived at his place. He greeted her at door, smiling as she gave him a quick hug. Before he could say something, Belle handed him the magazine she had brought with her.

He frowned. “Kate Middleton style tips? Belle, I’m not sure what you’re trying to say.”

She grabbed for it. “I brought over the wrong magazine,” she said, clearly annoyed.

“What magazine did you ask to bring over?” he asked, setting the People magazine down as they entered his apartment. They stopped in the kitchen to talk.

“This ridiculous magazine that insinuated you and Cora were back together,” she said quickly.

He gave her a puzzled look. “Where did you see that?”

“It was the National Enquirer, and they had this low quality picture of the two of you together, and I know it wasn’t right, but I saw the headline and I bought it.”

“You’re correct that they were wrong. I can’t believe they wrote that,” he said with a sigh.

Belle nodded. “They mentioned me, you know.”

When Lenox didn’t reply and just looked at her curiously, she continued. “They called me the “young woman” and said we “interacted several times””.

“Did they?” he asked, stepping closer to her.

“Mmhmm,” she replied, looking up at him expectantly.

The oven “ding”-ed, causing them to jump away from each other. Lenox grimaced and put on oven mitts, pulling out what looked like garlic bread.

“Smells good,” Belle commented, watching him arrange the rolls in a basket. It was a lot of food for two people.

“I’m glad. Do you remember that Italian place that was closed when I wanted to take you there?”

“And we ate tacos instead? How could I forget?” she replied, smiling as she remembered their first dating, taking plates from him to set the table.

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget,” Lenox said, pulling a couple tins out of the oven. “Well, I got some takeout from them for tonight, but I didn’t know what kind of pasta you liked, so I got three kinds.”

Belle’s eyes widened at the big containers of pasta with marinara, alfredo, and a meat sauce. “It’s just the two of us,” she said, “and you could’ve texted me.”

He shrugged. “That’s not fun. And I like leftovers.”

She sat down at the table next to him, scooping tiny portions of each pasta on to her plate. “You’re something else, you know that?” she said.

“Yeah, but I’m your something else,” he replied with a small smile.

The spaghetti was delicious, and Belle knew he’d be eating it for days on end. Maybe he’d have a leftover pasta party. After a bit of silence from both of them indulging in their meal, Belle spoke through bites of food.

“How was Portland?”

He shrugged. “It was work. I signed papers, I talked, I met with distributors. Nothing exciting.”

“Sounds exciting to me, though,” said Belle, “I wish I could travel as much as you do.”

“Do you? There might be turbulence on the plane rides,” he said teasingly.

She smacked his shoulder. “That was the worst day of my life, and you know it…. besides meeting you, of course,” she allowed.

He smiled. “Yeah. I know. How’s unemployment going, by the way?”

Belle sighed, idly twirling her hair with her fingers. “It’s not too bad. I have a lot of free time. I visited my father today,” she revealed.

“And how was that?”

“It was...okay. I told him about us, and about going back to school and everything. I think he’s okay with it,” said Belle.

Lenox nodded, taking Belle’s empty plate and his to the sink. He pulled another container out of the refrigerator, setting it in-between him and Belle at the table. Two perfect cannolis were nestled together, and Belle beamed at him. “This is too much,” she said.

He handed her one, and Belle took a large bite and found it was extraordinarily delicious. Before long, the dessert was gone and they were staring at each other again.

“Do you want me to take you on the tour?” he offered, and Belle agreed, taking his arm as he showed her the living room, the office, and the two bedrooms. It was all decorated modernly, and Belle worried if she took a wrong turn she might break an expensive lamp. Commenting on how everything went together well, Lenox brushed it off. “An interior designer did it for me. I’ve never been one for fancy things,” he said.

“Says the CEO of a department store of consumer goods,” said Belle, shaking her head. “You are full of contradictions.”

“I like nice hotels and good food, but I appreciate homemade things and good company. Just because I can afford to go all-out all the time, doesn’t mean I have to. So if I’m only in this apartment a couple weeks every few months, someone else can decorate it,” he explained.

Belle liked his reasoning, and they sat next to each other on the couch. She was sitting at the opposite end from him with her legs going across his, and he was running his fingers up and down her leg, causing her to giggle.

“Stop!” she said, retracting her legs and moving so that her head was resting on his chest.

“Ticklish, Belle?” he asked, “I wouldn’t have guessed, but consider it noted.”

She glared at him. “Don’t,” she warned.

“Or what?” he asked, beginning to play with her long hair.

“Just keep doing that,” she said softly.

He did, and she felt herself relax. “You never told me, have you picked a college yet?” Lenox asked softly.

Belle sighed. “No. I think I want to do English as my major, though.”

“I can see that for you. Any career in particular?”

“Well, I mentioned teaching to my dad and he laughed at that. I was looking at some websites, though, and I thought publishing sounds interesting.”

“I know a person or two in publishing,” he said. “I can help you.”

She looked up at him, biting her lip. “I’ve already told you, I’m doing this on my own.”

Lenox nodded. “Right, but me recommending you to the head of a publishing house is me being helpful because I want to be. You’d need recommendations anyway.”

She groaned. “I don’t want to talk about that stuff,” she said, “I just want to relax.”

Lenox smiled, “I’m not going to fight you about that,” he said.

He reached for a remote control, and Belle thought he was going to turn on a movie. Instead, the dormant fireplace roared to life, cackling away in front of them. He pressed something else, and quiet acoustic music began to play. Lenox really knew how to set the mood, Belle couldn’t deny it. She smiled at him. “Did your interior designer help you program that?” she asked teasingly.

He rolled his eyes. “I can plan a date on my own,” he said, grinning at her.

“You’ve done a marvelous job so far,” she whispered, moving closer to him.

She was pressed up against him as they began to kiss, her hands running through his hair and his hands all over her back. Belle lost track of time and she could’ve stayed lost in her thoughts with him like this forever and not minded. Pausing to catch her breath, she glanced at the clock.

“It’s getting late,” she murmured.

He looked at the time and agreed. “You could just stay the night,” he said, looking at her cautiously, as if he was asking permission.

She stood up from the couch. “Good idea,” she said, smiling nervously as she took his hand and let him lead her towards his bedroom.


	9. Parties and Proposals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle and Lenox figure out what to do for a Halloween costume party. At the party, Killian asks Emma a question and Belle thinks about her own future involving Lenox.

October was winding down, and for Belle, that meant bundling up. She was wearing several layers of clothes as she drove downtown; parking her car outside the towering building that was Gold’s Department Store’s Midwestern Headquarters. It was a mouthful of a name to match the skyscraper. Belle watched her cold breath in front of her, rubbing her hands together to try and warm up as she entered the building. The security guard smiled and waved her through. It wasn’t her first visit to the building, and today she was meeting Lenox there before they went to lunch.

Employees who recognized Belle from previous trips nodded to her as they went on with their busy days. She made her way to the executive floor of the building, and she preferred this office’s secretary by far. Ariel Fischer was a bright redheaded girl who shared Belle’s love of organization and always greeted her with a smile, unlike the coldness Belle had received from the New York office’s secretary. Ariel knew Lenox’s schedule forward and backward and the two of them got along great – Belle might’ve even worried she was some kind of competition, if not for the photos on her desk that showcased her relationship with her girlfriend, Erica.

“Hey, Belle,” said Ariel, looking up from her computer. “How are you?”

“Good! Just stopping by before lunch,” said Belle. She undid her top jacket and put it on the office’s coat rack, removing her scarf and hat as well. “Quick question. Is anything planned for Lenox on the 28th?” she asked, walking over to Ariel’s desk.

The secretary typed something quickly into her database, her eyes searching the screen. “Nope. He’s free. Why? Got big plans?”

Belle shrugged. “Annual neighborhood Halloween party. I just thought it would be fun.”

“Good luck getting him to dress up,” said Ariel with a grin. “But that sounds fun. I’ll try and keep that date free.”

“You’re the greatest secretary in the world,” Belle praised. “Do you know if he’s still in a meeting?”

“Well, he’s just finishing up a conference call. You should be good to go in,” said Ariel, motioning to Lenox’s door.

Belle entered slowly, seeing Lenox staring at something on his computer. He noticed her entrance immediately and smiled, and before he could say something, she started talking. Belle didn’t notice him motioning with his hands for her to be quiet, and she certainly didn’t notice that his phone was on.

“I missed you last night,” she said, sitting on top of his desk next to his chair. One of the office’s walls was just glass, and she loved visiting his office so she could look down at the bustling city. It was one of the reasons she made a point to go to the office instead of just meeting him at a restaurant. When he didn’t reply, she continued. “I know why you couldn’t stay over, obviously, that meeting this morning was far too early. But I missed you anyway. I was lonely without you,” she said, looking over at him warmly.

He was giving her a pained smile, like something was wrong, and motioning with his hand across his neck, making a slicing motion. He wanted her to stop. A voice crackled through the phone resting on Lenox’s desk.

“Is that Belle?” the familiar voice asked with what sounded like a chuckle. It was Neal Gold, she realized. Belle’s eyes-widened and her mouth dropped. Lenox was still on the conference call!

“I think so, Neal,” said Regina, her firm voice slicing the stunned air. “Gold, you’re clearly busy and we don’t care to hear about your little love life. I think we’re done for now. I’ll e-mail you the reports we discussed.”

Lenox coughed, giving Belle a sheepish grin. “Okay. Have good days everyone.”  
With that, his phone beeped to signal the end of the call. The couple stared at each other for a moment, before Belle finally squeaked, “How many people were on that call?”

He shifted in his chair. “Six.”

“Six people think I’m an idiot now,” she said, burying her head in her hands. He reached over and rubbed her shoulder. “Nah, not an idiot. They just know I didn’t sleep over last night,” he said with a wicked smirk. She looked up from her position of embarrassment, her cheeks red. “I’m sorry. I should’ve made sure your call was done when I came in.” Lenox shrugged in response. “It was the most interesting thing to happen during the whole duration of that call, I assure you.”

He stood from his chair, and then offered his hand to help her down from the desk. He raised his eyebrows at her choice of seat. “There’s a perfectly good chair right over there,” he said, motioning with the chair across the desk.

“I like sitting there better. Easier to get your attention,” said Belle demurely, walking hand in hand with him out of the office. Belle tucked her scarf around her neck and put her knit hat back on. Lenox frowned. “It’s not that cold, is it?”

“It’s awful,” she said. “Almost thirty years here, and I hate the cold. I should move.”

“Somewhere warm and sunny,” Lenox agreed. He took her mitten-covered hand in his, waving goodbye to Ariel as they made their way to their lunch destination.

They were quiet as they walked towards the café they frequented. They served oversized sandwiches with homemade potato chips, and Belle loved it. Lenox tended to support anything Belle loved, so when she picked that restaurant again, he didn’t complain. The hostess smiled at them as they sat in the same booth in the farthest corner of the café, handing them menus that they didn’t need.

“So,” said Belle loudly, dropping her menu on the table.

“So?”

“So, there’s a Halloween party in my city on the 28th and I made sure you’re free already with Ariel, so do you want to go? It’s an annual thing, my friend Ruby always hosts it at her family’s diner and there’s always food and everyone dresses up. If you don’t want to dress up, we don’t have to, but I thought it would be fun and you’d get introduced to all my friends,” said Belle. She had a habit of over-explaining things when she was anxious, and she wasn’t sure if Lenox would like a party with her friends.

“Sure,” Lenox answered.

“Just sure?” Belle questioned, looking at Lenox suspiciously.

“Belle, it’ll be fun. It seems like it’s important to you. Just tell me what I should wear.”

Belle beamed. “This is going to be so fun!”

As they ordered their usual – corned beef for Lenox and an Italian sub for Belle, she perused a list of fun couple’s costume ideas on her phone. There was only a week until the party.

Belle sighed. “It’s either sexy or completely unsexy. Why would we want to dress up as ketchup and mustard bottles?” she said, wrinkling her nose and scrolling past a photo of a couple doing just that.

He shrugged, eating his sandwich. “Who are some couples in popular movies we could try to do?” he asked between bites.

Belle bit her lip and thought. “We could always do a princess and prince kind of thing. But I was Belle, the Disney princess, almost every year as a kid. My mom just adjusted the costume as I grew.”

“And that would make me the beast,” Lenox said.

She nodded. “Yes, and I don’t think you’re beastly.”

“Some of my employees might say otherwise,” he said with a small smile.

“I haven’t watched any recent television shows. Friends is still popular, isn’t it? We could be Rachel and Ross.”

Lenox paused. “I’ve only watched half of Friends. Is Rachel the blonde?”

Belle shook her head, “That’s Phoebe. Nevermind. I’m more of a Monica anyway.”

“We could be Monica and the eye doctor… Richard!” said Lenox, looking proud of his remembrance.

Belle shuddered. “No, no. They break up. Monica marries Chandler.”

“Oh, okay. Richard wasn’t a good eye doctor, anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“Kissing a patient isn’t good practice,” he explained.

“Neither is asking out your employee after meeting her on an airplane, but here we sit,” said Belle with a laugh.

He smiled back at her. He liked how serious she looked as she continued to search for ideas. It was evident that it was important to her for him to meet her friends, and he was happy she felt comfortable enough to introduce him to her town.

Belle looked up at him triumphantly. “I’ve got it.”

“Do share.”

“My favorite show in the whole world just went off the air. We could be the main couple from it!” she said excitedly. “We don’t even really need to shop, I’ll just wear a blazer and you’ll wear a suit. And I could get campaign buttons!” she continued, talking more to herself than to him.

“Belle?” he asked, waving his hand. “What show? What couple?”

She paused. “Oh, yeah,” she said sheepishly, “Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt.”

When he didn’t seem to recognize the names, she seemed incredulous. “Don’t tell me you’ve never watched Parks and Recreation.” 

When he shook his head, Belle gave him her Netflix account information and insisted he use it to watch the show. She might’ve suggested they watch it together, but she knew he was going back to the New York office for three days. As they finished up their meal, they walked slowly back to Belle’s parked car.

“How many people will be at this party?” he asked, standing by her car door.

Belle thought for a moment. “Well, people with small kids tend to go earlier, and my friends and I go later. It’ll probably be around thirty people when we go.”

He nodded. “Thirty people. And they’ve known you for how long?”

She realized he must be nervous to meet her townspeople. “We moved to Storybrooke when I was almost ten. That’s where I went to school and obviously, I moved back after college.”

“Right. Well then. That’ll be fine. I’ll start watching the show tomorrow and let you know what I think.”

“Start watching it tonight,” she corrected. “I’ll text you what to wear for the party.”

“Can’t wait,” he said, leaning down to kiss her.

When they broke from their embrace, he watched her drive out of the parking lot, shaking his head at her excitement about a Halloween party. He hadn’t decorated or dressed up for Halloween since Neal was a teenager, so it would be fun to jump back into the holiday.

\---

Belle and Lenox called each other when he was away. The first night he was in New York, he skipped saying “hello” and simply said, “I finished season one.”. Belle had laughed and asked if he enjoyed it, and he told her he was about to click season two. Ron Swanson was his favorite character, and he liked Leslie’s determination to succeed and the strength of her love for Pawnee. Belle assured him the first season was the slowest, and that it only got better when Ben and Chris joined the show. The next day, Lenox asked if she was sure Ben and Leslie got together, because it seemed like they hated each other. With all the questions he had about the show, she wasn’t sure if he was actually working in New York or if he was just watching the show on Netflix. Either way, he seemed excited about the Halloween party.

\---

On the day of the party, Belle wore a navy pencil skirt and blazer. On one side of the blazer, she had pinned three buttons she had purchased online. She was sure the “I (heart) Pawnee”, “Vote Knope”, and “Yes We Can” pins gave her outfit away. After contemplating a blonde wig, she decided to just curl her hair in a style similar to Leslie’s. Lenox was supposed to arrive in Storybrooke during the afternoon, but there was a big storm that delayed his flight. They were just going to meet at the party, instead. He was going to wear a suit, and she bought pins for him as well, plus a Game of Thrones button. Belle smiled at their cleverness. Their costumes were so simple, but they got the characters.

Belle arrived at Granny’s that night to see that the party was already in full swing. Every year since she could remember, Granny and Ruby closed their diner down to the general public and invited the townspeople there for a night of free food, games, and costume contests. Families went early for a potluck dinner, and adults went later at night socialize and drink. Entering the diner, she saw her friends had already arrived. Ruby was dressed in an outfit that Belle could only describe as “sexy nurse”, and she was sure her friend intended to turn some heads in it. Mary Margaret was dressed as a bee, David was a beekeeper, and Leo was in a green onesie with a yellow hood that made him look like a flower. They were one of the only couples with kids to stick around for the evening portion of the all-day event. Emma and Killian were characters from The Princess Bride. Emma was Buttercup, and Killian was Inigo Montoya.   
She was surprised to see Lenox was already at the party. He was chatting with Robin Locks and his wife, Marian. He caught her eye, and she waved at him. Lenox pardoned himself from the conversation, joining Belle at the front of the diner. 

“Hey there, Ms. Knope,” he said.

“Mr. Wyatt, I hope you’re having fun,” she said. 

“I am! I meant to text you that I got here early, but my phone’s dead. The nurse said she’d charge it for me in her room,” he said, motioning to Ruby, who was sitting with Emma in a booth.

“You met Ruby,” said Belle. “She’s one of my best friends.”

“She’s...fun,” said Lenox, choosing his words carefully.

Belle rolled her eyes. “Come on, let’s go say hi.”

She properly introduced him to Ruby and Mary Margaret’s family, delighted when he shook Leo’s little hand like he was meeting a tiny businessman. He already knew Emma and Killian, and he said hello to both of them.

Mary Margaret looked Belle up-and-down, not understanding her costume. “Belle,” she said in a puzzled voice, “you didn’t dress up.”

Belle looked at her outfit. “Yes, I did! I’m Leslie Knope, from Parks and Recreation.”

Jefferson had joined them. “That looks like what you wore to work everyday, love.”

Belle hit his shoulder, then hugged him. “You understood the costume, didn’t you?”

“I did when I saw the “Vote Knope” pin,” he assured her.

She sighed. Maybe simple wasn’t good. 

After introducing him to practically everyone who was crowding the room, Lenox and Belle had a free moment. “I’ll go get us drinks,” he said, walking over to the open bar.

Belle took a seat in an empty booth. Ruby, Emma, and Killian were in the one next to her discussing something with Sheriff Graham. She was fine to be alone for a moment. It was only a moment before Granny Lucas slipped into the booth to sit across from her.

She’d known the woman as long as she’d known Ruby, and she loved her. Affectionately known to everyone as simply “Granny”, she was headstrong and daring, never mincing her words to protect feelings.

“Is that your boyfriend?” said Granny, motioning to Lenox. It looked like Mary Margaret, Jefferson, and Robin had sucked him into a conversation, and he was theatrically telling a story using his hands. 

Belle nodded. “That’s him.”

“Is he The One, Belle?” she asked, looking at her seriously.

Belle looked startled, hesitant to reply.

“Oh, come on, Belle. I can tell he loves you when he looks at you. When you walked in, he smiled at you like you’re his world.”

Belle blushed. “I don’t know. It’s only been three months. He’s never said he loves me.”

“He doesn’t need too. His eyes say it. And I think you love him, too.”

It wasn’t like she hadn’t realized she loved him. She knew she did, but to say it out loud would be another thing. 

Granny nodded. “So, you do love him. Well, that’s all I needed to know,” she said, scooting out of the booth.

Belle looked up at her curiously. “What do you mean, that’s all you needed to know?”

“Trying to plan my wedding catering schedule,” she said with a shrug. “Also, where’s your costume?”

“I’m wearing it,” Belle insisted, frowning as the older woman shook her head and walked away. Did she mean-? She obviously thought her and Lenox were getting married sometime soon. Belle didn’t think so, but maybe if Granny was right about the way he looked at her… well, it was no use worrying about it now. 

With Granny gone, Belle watched Lenox fondly as he tried to make his way back to her. It seemed like half the town wanted to talk to him. He was crouched down to talk to little Roland Locks, who seemed very elated to be up past his bedtime. The townspeople were responding well to Lenox, and it made Belle happy to know her friends liked her boyfriend. Just as Lenox finally reached her booth, Granny hit a wine glass with some silverware, as if she was initiating a toast. The diner grew quiet.

Lenox slid in next to Belle, handing her a drink and watching Granny.

It wasn’t Granny who spoke, though. Killian had made Emma sit at a table in the middle of the restaurant, and he was standing on top of the table, looking around at everyone in the restaurant.

“Mawwiage,” said Killian, looking down at Emma. Everyone gasped a bit, realizing what was happening. Emma looked up at Killian in a stunned silence, biting her lip. Lenox put his arm around Belle, and she saw him smiling at them.

“Marriage, I should say, has been on my mind lately,” said Killian seriously, looking at Emma. “Emma Swan, I’ve known you for exactly five hundred and forty five days. I’ve loved you for almost all of them. If someone had told me what you would mean to me when we met that morning at the aquarium, I wouldn’t have believed them. I think it was fate that I volunteered that morning, it was fate that we met. You’re my best friend. You’re the person I want to grow old with. I think we were made to be together, forever. What I’m trying to say,” he continued, his voice beginning to wobble, stepping down from the table and getting on one knee in front of Emma, who looked like she was about to cry, “is will you marry me?”

The diner was completely silent for half a moment, watching in suspense. 

“Yes!” Emma whispered finally, putting out one hand for Killian to put the engagement ring on as she began to cry.

She crinkled into his arms, and the restaurant cheered. Emma and Killian were both laughing and crying, and Belle felt hot tears gather in her eyes. She loved them both so much, and she knew they’d do excellently as husband and wife. Lenox turned to her, a grin on his face. He saw she looked like she was about to cry, and he laughed a little.

“Quite emotional, hmm, sweetheart?” he asked, rubbing her shoulder gently.

“It’s just that they’re my best friends,” she said. Internally, she realized all her friends were either getting married or having children or starting new jobs. 

“Everything’s going to change soon, I think,” said Belle quietly. She was staring out the window as people shuffled out. She wondered if now would be a good time to tell him she loved him, to ask if he ever thought he could remarry. She wondered if he wanted to have children. It wasn’t hard for her to imagine a future where they were together in a town far away from Storybrooke, and it was their own little version of happily ever after. 

Belle brightened a bit. “I knew Killian was going to propose ages ago,” she revealed.

“Really? You kept a secret?” asked Lenox, sounding surprised.

“Mmhmm, I did. I caught him hiding the ring box one afternoon,” she said. Belle saw Killian and Emma were now talking to people, and she and Lenox left the booth to offer their sincere congratulations. Just as she left the booth, her hip hit the table. She grimaced in pain, and her half-full drink glass wobbled and then fell onto the floor. The green liquid splattered across Lenox’s suit. He was quicker than her and reached to pick it up.

“It’s fine,” he said. “Just a chip.”

Belle took it from him, running her fingers over the rough edges of the glass. “I’m not worried about the glass. I’m worried about your suit,” she said, seeing the drink seep into his clothing.

He shrugged. “I’ve got other suits,” he said.

Belle shook her head, “I’m so sorry, it was really an accident.”

“Belle, really. It’s fine. I love you.”

Belle stopped looking at the spill and looked at him sharply. “Repeat that,” she said quietly.

“It’s fine,” he said, starting to smile at her.

“No, Lenox, the other thing,” she said, smiling back.

“Oh, that I love you?” he said quietly, his voice teasing.

Belle hugged him. “I love you, too,” she whispered.

“I thought you’d never admit it,” he said with a wink.

Belle laughed, and they walked over to Killian and Emma together. Everything might be about to change, but it would all be okay. She loved all her friends and they all loved her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a lot of Friends/Parks and Rec references. Shout-out to my four pals for beta-reading this for me! Let me know what you think. If there’s ever anything you want to see in this ‘verse, let me know.


	10. Cold Days & Hot Chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle’s day starts with an unpleasant visitor, and ends with a sweet night with Lenox.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TEN CHAPTERS?! How’d we get here?! This chapter is mostly fluff and foreshadowing, enjoy.

Belle woke up to Lenox saying goodbye, reminding her he’d be in meetings and away from his phone for the day. She had nodded off shortly after seeing him out the door, and as she woke up for the second time, she realized it was snowing outside. It was the kind of snow that was in movies, falling lightly and making everything sparkle. It was too early for it to be the gross gray sludge that would fill the streets later in the year, and the fresh snow inspired Belle to get moving with her day. It was a fairly relaxed day – she’d woken up in one of Lenox’s shirts, wearing it as she walked into the kitchen. She grabbed an apple for breakfast, and then perused his cabinets for something to make for dinner.

Since Emma and Killian’s engagement, Belle had been spending less of her time at their apartment and more and more in Lenox’s. He was still splitting his time in between New York City and Chicago, but he was making a point to try and spend more in the latter. She was all but moved-in, and half her possessions lived at Lenox’s home. Belle found all the ingredients she was looking for and located a crock pot underneath several layers of what she would later tell him was junk. After the years of living in the cold, her father had perfected the art of chili-making and tonight she intended to share it with her boyfriend. She simmered the onions on the stove, adding them into the tomato and bean mixture she had in the crock pot. Just as she’d set it to “warm” and began to read the book she had picked up from the library, someone rang the doorbell and then knocked several times.

Belle wasn’t sure who it was – the cleaners had been through yesterday, Neal wasn’t coming in for Thanksgiving for another week, and there was nobody else to expect. She looked down, realizing her legs were still completely bare, and ran into Lenox’s bedroom, throwing on a pair of yoga pants and a bra. The oversized dress shirt could stay.

She answered the door slowly, and the tall figure entered immediately. Cora Milhouse was in the house, literally. The supermodel was dressed chicly in crazily skinny jeans, a cashmere turtleneck sweater, knee-high boots and oversized hoop earrings. Belle felt dwarfed by her, slowly closing the door as Cora looked around idly. She suddenly seemed to notice Belle, taking in her outfit. “Interesting way for a maid to dress,” she said, clearly condescending.

Belle frowned. “I’m not the maid,” she replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

Cora took off her sunglasses and squinted at Belle. “Oh! I think I recognize you. We met at the gala thing.” Belle nodded. “Can I help you?” she said, feeling uncomfortable to be talking to her without Lenox a few feet away. Despite Belle blocking the doorway, the thin woman slid around her and walked into the kitchen, sitting down at the table. Belle followed behind her, curious as to what the woman had to say.

“Darling, are you wearing one of his work shirts? Positively _domestic,_ ” Cora purred, touching Belle’s rolled-up sleeve. Belle jerked her arm away, sitting down next to Cora and waiting on an explanation for her presence. Cora was tapping on her phone as if nothing unusual was happening. She looked up sharply. “Are you going to offer me something to drink or not?”

Belle laughed nervously. “I was thinking not.”

“I’m a guest,” said Cora, clearly annoyed. “But I think I remember where things are...” She stood up, opening up the cabinets and finding a glass, getting water from the refrigerator as Belle watched with an expression of disbelief. Cora sat back down next to Belle, slowly drinking the water and watching Belle. It was almost like a staring contest, Belle realized. Enough was enough and Belle was supposed to be the one with the power in this situation. She was the one practically living here, not Cora.

Belle reached for the glass, moving it out of Cora’s reach. The woman’s eyebrows shot up. “Problem?” she asked.

“Yeah,” said Belle, “What exactly are you doing here?”

Cora grinned. “Darling, your little boyfriend changed his number on me. Luckily, he didn’t change his address.”

“I don’t understand why that means you have to show up here, uninvited,” said Belle, tucking her wild hair behind her ear.

“It’s our anniversary,” said Cora, her grin even wider, like she was explaining a simple concept to a child. Belle briefly wondered how much of the woman’s face was plastic, then shook her head.

“Your what?”

“Anniversary. Ten years ago we got back together for real.”

“I repeat, what?” said Belle, the annoyance growing in her voice.

“Well, my darling, we broke up quite a few times. Ten years ago today was the start of our longest no-break up streak.”

“How...admirable,” said Belle, tapping her fingers on the table. “I’m not sure why that means you’re here.” Internally, she was wondering if that’s how all celebrities thought of relationships - longest no break-up streak?

“And now,” said Cora, painting a frown on her face, “he’s changed his phone number and won’t meet with me in his office. He found a loophole in my contract and I got dropped from the Gold’s Inc. commercials I was set to do. So, I’m waiting for him right here,” said said, patting the table.

“Waiting for him to do what?” said Belle, her fingers inching closer to the phone she had sitting on the table. Would Lenox pick up if she called? He’d told her he’d be in meetings all day, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t call Ariel and get connected anyway-

“I simply want him to reconsider pursuing our relationship,” said Cora casually. “I can be _very_ persuading,” she continued, leaning in conspiratorially.

Belle leaned back, rising from the chair. Was this woman serious? “I’m here,” said Belle, motioning around the apartment. “I practically live here, Lenox loves me.”

“Practically and do are very different,” said Cora, before pausing and looking at Belle sharply. “He loves you?”

“Unless he lies when he tells me that multiple times a day,” said Belle, her tone growing increasingly upset.

Cora sat, flabbergasted. Belle was eyeing her nervously, unsure if she needed to make a mad dash out the door before Cora killed her with Lenox’s kitchen knife. “He never said he loved me,” said Cora quietly. “I’ve clearly been a fool.”

The woman rose from her chair, giving Belle another obvious once-over. “I don’t see what he does, but congratulations.” Belle watched the woman see herself out, then buried her head in her arms. What the hell had just happened? Did she just win against a supermodel?

The rest of the day was relatively easy compared to her morning. She’d signed up for an online college, and spent the morning and afternoon on her laptop, researching and writing for her first papers to turn in. She almost forgot to eat lunch, noticing the time and taking a break to make a sandwich. Mary Margaret had texted her about watching Leo the next day, and Belle agreed. She had shot off a text to Lenox about a “unique visitor” to their home, but it hadn’t been read yet. She’d just tell him when he got home. Emma had called to make sure she’d be home to go bridesmaids dress shopping, and she couldn’t help but smile as she confirmed she could go.

Before she knew it, it was evening and Lenox was opening the door. At least, she hoped it was him and not another odd intruder. Luckily, it was him, and she put away her laptop when she saw him enter the living room. Jumping up from the couch, she gave him a quick kiss before he took off his jacket and put it in the closet.

“What’s the text you sent me about?” he asked, walking back into the living room. “And what’s that smell?”

She smiled, following him as he walked to the kitchen. “Are you cooking?” he asked, lifting the lid of the crock pot.

“Hey!” she scolded, pushing it back down. “It has to stay on! And yes, I am.”

He couldn’t help but note the pride in her voice. “Chili?”

She nodded. “My dad’s recipe.”

“Do Australians make a lot of chili?”

“They do when Storybrooke has a chili-tasting competition every winter,” said Belle with a shrug. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, giving him a long hug. When they broke from their embrace, he noticed her outfit. She hadn’t changed out of the outfit she’d faced Cora in that morning. “Stealing my shirts now?” he said with a smirk.

“Yes,” she said, matter-of-factly. “And you think they look cute on me.”

He nodded. “Yes, I suppose I do.”

Belle checked the chili, seeing it was good to go. She grabbed two bowls, and her and Lenox sat down to eat their dinner. She recounted her morning to him, his face growing more and more disbelieving as she went on.

“And she said that? That she wanted to get back together?”

“Yes,” said Belle, “it’s your anniversary, mind you.”

He shook his head, rolling his eyes. “I’m going to have Ariel block her on every facet. I think I have to move, too.”

“Don’t move,” said Belle, “I like this place!”

“I was kidding,” he said. “But do you want to move in here? Permanently? I know I’m not always here, but I see no reason why you can’t be.”

Belle smiled. “I was wondering when you would ask.”

He smiled back, claiming “she’d practically moved all her stuff in the house anyway.”

She was going to disagree, but it was true that her hair products and clothes were taking up most of the bathroom and master closet. Oops.

After cleaning up from dinner, which Lenox praised as the best chili he’d ever eaten (Belle knew he was exaggerating, she didn’t put in enough chili powder), the couple was at a loss for what to do. Belle peered outside, seeing the snow had begun to fall again. She realized she hadn’t yet visited the park a few blocks from Lenox’s apartment, and he’d agreed to go on a walk with her. Belle got some jeans, more appropriate for outside then yoga pants. They both bundled up, laughing at how difficult it was to move in their layered jackets, scarves, coats and gloves.

Belle took his arm, and they walked at a steady pace to the park. The sun wasn’t fully set, and the streetlights had just turned on. Plenty of families were out with their children, building snowmen and sledding. As they were rounding the paved walking trail, a dog and a few children crossed their path in a game of tag. Belle smiled at the little children, stumbling over their own legs into the snow, their cheeks rosy and their hands filled with the snowballs.It was hardly packing snow, but they were trying.

“What do you think about them?” asked Belle suddenly, breaking the quiet they had been strolling in after Lenox had described

“Dogs? They’re nice, but they’re messy.”

“Children.”

He was quiet for a moment. “I like children,” he said simply. Belle’s heart rate increased slightly as she probed further.

“Would you want to...be a father again? If the opportunity came up?”

He stopped walking, looking down at her thoughtfully. “I’m already a father, and I love my son an incredible amount. If I was to have any more children, I’m sure I would love them just as much. I don’t know if it’s fair, though, to raise a child at my age.”

Belle frowned. “I hardly think your age is a reason not to have children.” Belle knew he was pushing fifty whereas she was thirty, but she hardly even remembered the age difference for the way he acted.

He shrugged. “Maybe.”

Belle sighed, and they continued their walk around the park. He hadn’t really given her an answer. Just as she was about to question him again, he began to talk. “Belle, if we were to have a child together, I would love it an indescribable amount and raise it to the best of my ability. Does that answer all your questions, love?”

She nodded. “I suppose that works.” He smiled, kissing the top of her head. He hadn’t given her a definite answer, but the sight of the children in the park had made her remember her own longing for kids of her own. It wasn’t a top priority now that she was back in school and unemployed, but it was nice to know he wasn’t highly opposed to it.

Belle noticed a slight slow-down in their pace as they walked back to their apartment. Lenox seemed to be faltering slightly on one leg. “Does your leg hurt?” she asked. He looked like he was trying not to seem bothered, shrugging it off. “Just an old wound from a game of football.”

“Soccer?”

“Yes, soccer. I got into a pretty nasty accident during a playoffs game as a teenager, tore a tendon in my ankle. Doctors said it would go away as I got older, but it’s been acting up lately.”

“You should go see a doctor,” said Belle, clearly worried.

He brushed off that idea. “Nah. I’m fine.”

“Don’t be stubborn,” she said, making a mental note to find an orthopedic doctor in the area. They had arrived back at their apartment, entering and shedding their extra layers. Belle double-checked the kitchen pantry, pulling out two packets of hot chocolate mix and two mugs.

“What are you doing?” he asked, settling down at the kitchen table.

“Hot chocolate. The perfect way to end a weird, snowy day.”

He looked incredulous. “I had hot chocolate mix in the pantry?”

She shrugged. “You do when I buy your groceries.” He grinned as she handed him a mug, then situated herself to be perched on his lap. “I think I’d like you to keep that up,” he said, one arm around her and one holding his mug.

“Me too,” she said, sipping the comfort drink. When the drinks were finished and forgotten, she’d nearly melted into his arms. “I don’t want to leave for New York tomorrow,” he said, his voice lower than usual as he ran his fingers through her hair. “Then don’t,” she said, looking up at him hopefully. He smiled softly. “If only it were that easy, my love.”

She frowned, uncurling herself from his arms and standing up. “Have I told you how beautiful I think you are?” he said, standing up to face her.

She looked up at him, batting her eyelashes. “Not in the last three hours, I think.”

“My god, Belle, what am I going to do with you?” he asked, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

She shrugged. “Not sure. You could just admit I’m the best girlfriend you’ve ever had.”  
“I don’t think that’s much of a secret,” he replied with a smirk. Suddenly, his cell phone was ringing. He’d abandoned it on a coffee table, and Belle bit her lip as he went to see who it was.

“Oh,” he said, frowning. “I’ve gotta take this, I’m sorry, love.”

She nodded, and he began talking quietly to whoever was on the line. She put the mugs in the sink and went back to their now-shared room, putting on her pajamas and settling down with her book. He came in later, and she was too close to sleep to inquire about who had been on the phone. If it was important, he’d tell her about it.


	11. Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bridesmaids have a heart to heart, Belle runs into a reporter, and Lenox says something Belle something she wasn't ready to hear.

Thanksgiving passed without any major drama between family members. Since neither Belle or Lenox had large families closeby, it was a relaxed dinner with Maurice and Neal in attendance at their shared apartment.

A few days after a Black Friday dash around the mall, Belle was sitting at a small boutique with Emma, Mary Margaret, and Ruby. It was their second and final fitting for their bridesmaids dresses, and they were waiting on the attendants to bring them their selections. The three women would wear emerald halter-top style dresses, which flowed from their waists and flattered all of their individual body types. Emma was tagging along to make sure they all looked right, and she was nervously reading something on her phone.

“Guys,” she said, “it’s not tacky to get married on Christmas? Right?”

“No, Emma,” they chorused back to her. It’d been her eighth time asking them over the course of planning her wedding. She was a bridezilla by no means, but her nerves were showing as the day got closer on the calendar. It was going to be a reasonably small affair, with simple details that would make it beautiful and true to the couple’s spirit. Their colors were dark greens and blues, but several of the people Emma was working with were trying to push Christmas themes. “The flower guy keeps asking if I’m sure I don’t want red and green flowers - am I sure?” Emma asked, tucking her hair behind her ear as she re-read whatever correspondence she was having with the florist.

“No, that’s tacky,” said Mary Margaret firmly, taking Emma’s phone out of her hands. “Just focus on the dresses!” Before Emma could protest, one of the chicly dressed store workers came over with a tray of glasses of champagne, kindly reminding them that they were complimentary. As each of them reached for the glass, Emma’s hand hovered, and then she declined.

“You’re turning down a free drink?” Ruby asked, leaning towards her. “What’s wrong?”

Mary Margaret’s eyes widened. “Are you…” she trailed off, and Belle found her eyes drifting to Emma’s stomach, which she was now defensively covering with her hands. “I don’t know!” she said finally. “I don’t know yet, but maybe?”

“I don’t think that’s a maybe question,” said Ruby thoughtfully.

“Oh, shut up,” Emma muttered. The dresses had arrived and were given to their respective owners, and they parted from their conversation to try them on. Belle’s fit like a charm, and she did a mock cat-walk towards Emma.

“Work it, Belle,” the bride-to-be laughed.  Belle gathered the skirt of the dress and sat down carefully, waiting on the other girls to come out of their dressing rooms. “How long has it been a maybe?”

Emma bit her lip. “Maybe...a little over a month? I’m either really, really late or pregnant.”

“I’ll buy you a test!” said Ruby, joining them on the couch. Emma shook her head. “I’ll buy one, I’m just…” her voice faded off, and Belle put her arm around her friend and rested her head on her shoulder. “It’s okay to be afraid, Emma.”

Emma looked at her seriously. “Is it?” Mary Margaret had joined them, too, and she took Emma’s hand. “Of course it is, sweetheart.” Emma shook her head a little, shrugging. “I never had a mom - not a real one, anyway. I mean, Ingrid is great but she adopted me when I was fourteen, and I don’t know how to a mom,” she said quickly, her voice breaking. “I haven’t mentioned it to Killian yet, I’m scared he won’t want a baby yet, we said we were going to wait and adopt, and I’m afraid I won’t -”

“Emma,” Belle cut in. “Stop it. Killian will absolutely adore your baby, because it’s yours. And you’ll be a wonderful mother.”

Emma sniffled. “You think so?”

“We know it,” Ruby whispered. She leaned in to hug Emma, and it became a kind of weepy, supportive group hug until a seamstress entered their room to see if anything needed alterations. With their final measurements taken, Emma promised to buy a pregnancy test and text them the results.

\--

Belle’s next stop was to a pizza restaurant just across the street from her new home. Lenox had texted her and asked her to pick up the food he had ordered them for dinner. She walked up to the counter, smiling at the teenaged worker.

“Hi! I’ve got an order for Gold.”

The girl nodded, clicking her screen and frowning a little. “I don’t have a Gold - could it be under another name?”

“Lenox?” Belle replied, wondering what else he could’ve put it under. “Or maybe Belle? Belle French?”

The girl shook her head again. “I’m sorry, ma’am, I don’t have any of those names. Do you know what was in your order?”

“My boyfriend ordered it, I’m not sure,” Belle said, fumbling for her phone to call. “I’ve got orders for Smith, Caroline, Dennis, Nell, and Violet,” the girl said, trying to be helpful.

“Nell. It’s Nell,” Belle said, smiling a bit. Lenox had probably called while driving, which always made him difficult to understand.

“Oh, okay!” the girl said, “that’s all ready!” Belle paid and began to head out with her pizza, wondering if Starbucks workers spelling a name wrong was similar to take-out order takers getting a name wrong.

“Excuse me?” a woman was coming out from one of the booths, waving to Belle. Belle stopped, not recognizing the unfamiliar brunette. “I’m Wendy Darling, I live right next door to Lenox Gold? Did I hear you say you’re his girlfriend?”

“Uh, yeah,” Belle said, trying to balance the pizza as she shook Wendy’s hand.

“I’m actually a reporter, and I was just wondering if you guys would be interested in being interviewed!”

Belle shook her head, “I’m sorry, Wendy, but he’s really not into publicity. I mean, I worked for the guy for several years before I even knew what he looked like.” She blanched, realizing she’d just given the reporter enough new information to give her story a beginning.

“You worked for him?” Wendy asked, the wheels clearly spinning in her mind.

“Yes, but not directly at all, really, we didn’t even meet through work, we met on an airplane,” Belle said, tripping over her own words. “This pizza is getting cold, I’ve got to go. See you around!” she said.

\--

“My dearest, we may need to move,” Belle said, setting the pizza down on Lenox’s kitchen table. Lenox looked up at her from the newspaper he was reading. “What did you do? I’ve got a house in New York,” he asked, smirking a bit.

“I may have divulged information about our relationship to a woman who may have claimed to be a reporter,” she said, sitting down next to him. His smirk turned to a frown. “Beg your pardon?”

“Nothing too important, just that I worked for you and she knows my name now, she said she lives near us… I bet she won’t do anything with it, just wanted you to know,” Belle said quickly, trying to think of things to change the subject to.

Lenox made a “hmmph” noise. “Reporters are never up to nothing,” he said.  “That may be, but -” Belle lost her train of thought when her phone buzzed. She looked down at it. A single emoticon from Emma - a thumbs up. Belle shrieked, grabbing her phone and jumping up and down in her seat.

“Good news?” Lenox mused, reaching for the phone. “Thumbs up?”

“Emma’s pregnant!” Belle explained happily, and Lenox’s face crinkled into a joyful smile. “That’s wonderful.”

“Yes! I’ll send our congratulations!” Belle said, typing a small, heartfelt message off to Emma.

“A baby,” Lenox said, “that’ll change their lives forever.” Belle sometimes forgot Lenox had a son that was close to her in age, that he’d practically raised him solo when his flaky first wife abandoned them. He loved his son more than anything in the world, it had been evident when he beamed to Maurice about Neal’s accomplishments during their time spent together. Neal was a grown man, but he was still Lenox’s pride and joy. “Mmhmm,” she replied. “I’m so happy for them. They’re going to be great parents.”

Lenox nodded, covering her hand with his. “Hey, how did the dress thing go?”

“Great! The dress fits well and I think it’ll be a lovely wedding.”

“I’m excited to be your plus one, then,” he said, “How do you feel about New York, by the way?”

“I don’t think anything about New York,” Belle replied, wondering what he meant.

“No, moving there,” he clarified. His mind ran in twenty ways at once sometimes, so naturally he was back to the start of their conversation. “New York. More and more of my meetings are there, I feel like I’m living half here and half at an airport and half in New York and I can’t be three places at once.”

Belle paused. “So you want to move?”

“I’ve been thinking about it, yes, and I would want you to move with me. Not right away, the holidays could pass first, but in the new year,” Lenox said slowly, making it clear he had it thought out.

“Oh,” Belle said.

It was quiet for a moment, and his eyes pleaded with hers to understand. Belle didn’t want to leave Chicago - she didn’t want to lose her proximity to Storybrooke, not when Emma was just getting married and having a baby. Her father needed more attention, she had noticed he was thinner at Thanksgiving and that his normal cough had worsened. Belle knew she would move outside of the midwest someday, onto better places, but right now, she felt like her home needed her. Then again, Lenox was a very important figure in his company, and frequent trips to the airport and changing time-zones often would be stressful. She hadn’t realized the toll it must be taking on him, and she hated herself for being selfish. Lenox needed someone who could be where he needed to be.

“I need to - I need to think about that,” Belle said.

“Yes, I won’t rush you,” he said, “I guess I shouldn’t have thought you’d just agree.”

Belle nodded. “I’m going to make a pros and cons list, and I will get back to you in five to twenty thousand business days.”

“Twenty thousand?!” he asked. “Can I expedite that process?”

Belle shrugged. “Don’t know. The woman in charge is a real pain, if you ask me.” Lenox smiled, catching on to her sarcasm. “Believe me, I know. I live with her,” he replied.

Belle laughed. “I heard she’s negotiable, though,” she whispered, leaning closer to him, “for a price.”

“I might be interested,” he said with a smirk.

“I was so hoping you’d say that,” Belle said, kissing his cheek.

Later, Belle was trying to sleep with Lenox close to her side. He’d already fallen asleep, but her mind was just repeating the idea of moving to New York. New York, New York… it was large and Belle was small and it seemed too grand to be her home. Her own life had so much going on, but it wasn’t fair of her to strain Lenox for the sake of getting her own way. It was a precarious situation, and it needed to be slept on.


	12. Darkest Before Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite the looming question of moving, Belle and Lenox purchase a Christmas tree together. Things seem cozy, but Lenox pushes a bit too far and things go downhill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter somehow got really long. It's a lot of dialogue, and I hope you guys like it! This is the least-happy chapter of probably the whole story.

 

            A week later, another morning rolled around, and Belle felt like she had hardly slept. The distance between her and Lenox was growing each night, and it left her feeling anxious and stressed. With the proposal of moving fresh in their minds, the mood in the apartment was noticeably strained. Lenox and Belle still talked, but the conversations were more superficial and they were beginning to lack their normal ease with each other. Belle knew the topic would come up eventually, and that they were just feeding the elephant in the room with the silence, but she didn’t want to ruin things. Not before Christmas. Belle had high hopes for this Christmas to be fantastic due to Emma’s wedding, and fighting with her boyfriend wouldn’t do her any good.

 

            Belle rolled over, seeing it was 7:30am. Distant shuffling and an empty bed told her that her significant other was already awake, and it sounded like he was talking to Neal. Neal had been staying in their extra room  intermittently as he attended meetings in the area, and Belle didn’t mind the company when he worked from home. Yawning, Belle threw on one of her oversized Storybrooke High School sweatshirts over her sleep shirt and pajama pants and made her way to the kitchen.

 

            Neal was at the stove making what looked like scrambled eggs, and Lenox was at the table with a newspaper and coffee. Both seemed to be ready for a day of work, and Belle felt out of place, ready to reverse back to the bedroom and try to fall back to sleep. “Hey, sweetheart,” said Lenox, looking up from his paper and smiling at her. “Did we wake you?”

 

            Belle gave a small smile, running her hand through her tangled hair. “No, I haven’t sleep well the past few nights,” she said, rubbing her eyes with her hands. “You boys are fine.”

 

            “Do you want eggs, Belle?” asked Neal. “I can crack more if you’re hungry.”

           

            “No, thanks,” Belle said. “I need to wake up first.” She grabbed for Lenox’s coffee mug, stealing a sip. Though things were getting tense between them, she still saw the spark in his eye when she did something he wasn’t expecting.

           

“Hey!” Lenox scolded with a smile, “Get your own.” Belle rolled her eyes playfully as she  poured her own cup of coffee, heavy on sugar and cream. This led to a debate between the three of them on the proper coffee making ratios were, and before she knew it, both men were checking their watches and claiming they were going to be late to meetings.

 

Lenox went back into the bedroom to get something he’d forgotten, and Neal and Belle were left together. Belle got up from the table to help him clean the dishes, and he peeked around the door before saying, “so what’s going on?”

           

“I’m washing dishes at the ungodly hour of 8am,” Belle said drily, handing him the sponge.

 

“No,” Neal replied plainly, “like with you and my dad.”

 

Belle paused. “Oh.”

 

“You know he’s crazy about you, right? He talks about you all the time when you’re not in the room, but lately…”

 

“Lately, yes, things have been… awkkward,” Belle admitted, blushing as she thought about what Lenox might say in her absence. She set down the soapy dishes in the sink, and moved to sit at the table, with Neal following her lead.

 

“Why?” Neal probed, “What’s going on? I can’t figure it out. Dad won’t say anything.”

 

Belle bit her lip, trying to decide what to tell him. “He just -”

 

“Oh my god, did he propose? Did you say no?”

 

Belle sputtered, turning to look at him sharply. “What?!”

 

“I freaking told him it was too soon, to wait until after Christmas -” Neal said quickly, shaking his head.

 

“No, Neal, your father did not propose to me,” she said, burying her head in her hands. She felt like her head was about to explode. He’d talked about proposing, and now they were hardly talking at all. She took a deep breath, blowing out slowly. Neal was watching her carefully, apologizing for intruding in their relationship. “Your dad - asked me to move to New York with him.”

 

Neal looked at her oddly. “And that’s a problem?”

 

Belle laughed shortly, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Yeah, Neal, it’s not something I’m ready to do.”

 

“Why?”

 

The question was simple, but it was turning over and over in her mind. Why couldn’t she find it in herself to say yes? Was she being selfish? If she said no, would they break up? What if she said yes, and _then_ they broke up?

 

“I - I lived in Storybrooke for almost all of my life. My best friend is going to have a baby there, my dad is there, and I’m okay being half an hour or so away, but a three hour plane ride? I don’t know,” Belle said finally, talking quickly.

 

Neal nodded. “Oh.”

 

“It’s not that I don’t love your dad, or don’t envision a future with him,” Belle said, the words spilling out, “I just don’t think I can leave right now.”

 

Neal nodded again, getting up from the table. “I really do need to go, Belle, but I’m just going to say that if you two don’t end up together, you’re making a huge mistake.”

 

It was Belle’s turn to nod, and she felt exhausted as she closed her eyes, letting her shoulders sag. She could almost fall asleep right there - if not for footsteps approaching. Lenox must be able to leave. Belle stood up to walk him out of the building, and was surprised to see Lenox was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt.

 

“Is it very casual Tuesday?” she asked, motioning to his outfit.

 

There was a spring in Lenox’s step as he approached her. “Belle, I flipped on the weather channel - it’s a perfect day outside. Cool, clear - perfect tree weather. I cancelled my meetings. I’m staying home today,” he declared, excitement swelling in his voice.

 

Belle frowned, feeling guilty. She should be happy he wanted to stay home with her. “Tree weather?” she asked cautiously.

 

Lenox laughed, taking her hand in his and walking with her to the living room. “See that empty space? We need a Christmas tree.”

 

            Personally, Belle hadn’t bought a Christmas tree in years. It wasn’t something he knew, but he was clearly excited. “I see,” she said, raising her eyebrows and nodding as she pretended to measure the area. “We’ll need one that’s that wall tall and this much wide.”

 

            “Excellent,” he said, “I’m going to go online to see what tree farms are open and then we can go.”

 

Belle nodded, and went to their bedroom. She changed into skinny jeans, ankle boots, and a sweater with a big infinity scarf, fixing her hair into a side ponytail. As she put on her mascara, she looked herself in the eyes through the mirror. Belle observed the dark circles under her eyes and sighed. But, she made a promise to herself. “I’m going to be happy today,” she said quietly. “I’m going to be happy today. He’s trying, and I’m going to try.”

 

Lenox was waiting for her with directions pulled up on his phone, and he held her hand as they walked to his car. Belle had almost fallen asleep from the calming motion of the car, but Lenox asked a question. She snapped out of her brain’s fog, turning to look at him. “Hmm?”

 

“I said, are you a live person, or a fake person?”

 

He snuck away from the road, seeing her confused expression. “Christmas trees, love. Not you.”

 

“Oh!” Belle said, “Fake, I guess.” In recent Christmas past, the day wasn’t overly important to her or Will. He’d half-heartedly drag out a fake tree, and she wouldn’t bother to decorate it.

 

“We’ll have to change that. Live trees are better. Makes the whole apartment smell like pine for weeks. Neal used to love going with me to pick one out as a kid,” he said, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled.

 

“You’ll have to convince me,” Belle said, crossing her arms.

 

“I intend to,” he said. As it got quiet again, with just the jolly holiday music playing on the radio he said, “If memory serves right, you don’t like Christmas,” he said quietly.

 

Belle blinked. She had told him that on the plane ride. On that damned plane ride that changed her life.

 

Belle shrugged. “Yeah. Not my thing.”

 

“Any reason for that? Besides that commercialization crap?”

 

“It’s not crap! It is commercialized!” Belle insisted, half playful and half serious, but she knew her defense was weak. “Listen to the radio! Look at the ads!”

 

Lenox snorted. “I want the real reason, Belle.”

 

She was silent for a moment, mulling over her thoughts. “The real reason? Christmas _sucked_ when I was a kid. My parents were immigrants, we had no friends. We weren’t poor, but there wasn’t any extra money for new toys. So, my parents just ignored the day. They missed their families, and celebrating didn’t feel right to them. It was just a day off school to me. When we moved to Storybrooke, I thought it might change, but everyone had their own families. I always felt alone on Christmas.Then, when my mom died, she died on Christmas Eve.”

 

“It was never a big deal to me. I go to Christmas parties, exchange gifts with my friends, but there’s no feeling there. When you watch Christmas movies, you want to feel what those actors are feeling. You want to bake cookies, and eat candy canes, and dance by a fireplace, and get that warm, fuzzy, feeling they talk about in books. But I could never find it,” Belle said, her voice breaking.

 

            He was silent then, focused on the road. “I see,” he replied.

 

            “Yeah,” she whispered.

 

            “We’ll have to give you a proper Christmas, then, this year. See if we can get that feeling sparked,” he said with a small smile. “I think I can do it.”

 

            Belle shrugged. “It’s okay if you can’t. It’s not the end-all-be-all.”

 

            She turned the radio up, keeping her eyes on the passing traffic until they pulled up to a picked over Christmas tree farm. Lenox helped Belle out of the car, and she held his arm as they looked at their options.

           

            “It should at least be as tall as you, yeah?” he said, eyeing Belle’s size compared to the tree they were closest to. “Not a hard task,” Belle admitted. They perused for a bit, stopping at some of the less-dreary looking trees.

 

            “We probably shouldn’t have waited until two weeks before Christmas,” Lenox mused. Belle wandered away from him towards the coffee hut, and the saddest little tree caught her eye. A clearance tag was on it, and Belle almost laughed as she touched the needles. The limbs were far too spread out and thin. Nobody would buy this, it wasn’t pretty.

 

            She felt Lenox put his hand around her waist, and she twisted around to face him. “Hey,” she said, seeing their cold breath mix in the frigid air. “Check this one out.”

 

            He looked over her head at the tiny tree, laughing. “That’s pathetic.”

           

            Belle raised her eyebrows. “I want it.”

           

            Her boyfriend frowned, “seriously?”

 

            “Yes! It’s sad and little and it needs love,” she said firmly.

           

            Lenox looked it over again, sighed, then shrugged. “Okay. I’ll go find a worker if you go buy two hot chocolates.”

 

            ---

 

            The ride home with the darling little tree was easy, and they stopped at one of the holiday-themed pop-up stores Belle typically avoided for some new ornaments. After stopping for lunch, they went back to the apartment and decorated the tree with their new ornaments. Lenox placed everything carefully, precisely, so it would look “not so horrible”, and Belle rolled her eyes but smiled all the same at his measures.

 

            They’d settled onto the couch, admiring their work, and Belle was idly swirling as spoon around her fresh mug of tree as she curled herself closer to him. She was humming the tune to that infectious “baby, it’s cold outside song”, and he began to hum along. “Be right back,” he said suddenly, leaving her on the couch.

 

            When he returned, he was holding something behind his back. Belle sat up straighter, trying to look around his back. “What do you have there?” He gave her a shy smile, holding out papers to her. She accepted them with a puzzled look, setting her mug on a side table. “What are these, baby?”

           

            She flipped through them, and he began to talk, sitting next to her cautiously. “When I was last in New York, I looked at some homes…”

 

            “You what?” Belle said, her breath catching. “Why did you do that?”

 

            “Belle, I really think it’s where I need to be for my job. And I want you to live with me there, in a house that we own together.”

                       

            She didn’t reply, setting the papers down. “I don’t want to move right now, Lenox, you had to know that already,” she whispered, her voice pleading. “My best friend in the whole world is having a baby, my father is there, and you know his health isn’t great, and Storybrooke is my _home_.”

           

            “When I met you, you wanted to get out of Storybrooke,” he pointed out.

           

            Belle nodded. “Yes, but I was ready then. Things have changed, Lenox, and I can’t move right now.”

           

            “I’m not saying now, Belle, I’m saying in January,” he reminded her. Both of them were staring at the other like they had sprouted a third eye, and Belle wasn’t used to the irritation she was feeling with him.

                       

            “I don’t think I’ll be ready then, either,” she said sadly. “Lenox, I’m not moving to New York. In my mind, I always thought, one day, but not now.”

 

            “If you say “one day” your whole life, it’ll never happen, Belle.”

           

Belle rolled her eyes. “I’m done talking about this.”

           

            “I don’t think we are,” he said, “I don’t understand what you want, Belle. Do you love me?”

           

            She looked at him, her eyes doubting and her mouth open wide, standing from the couch. “Yes, I do.”

           

            “Then why don’t you want a future with me?” he asked, still sitting. His growing annoyance was showing on his face.

           

            “That’s not what I’m saying!” Belle insisted, turning away from him.

           

            “Belle, I love you, and I need you in New York with me. I want to marry you, Belle, don’t you know that?” he asked, standing up and moving towards her.

                       

            She walked a step back, away from him. “Sometimes I think that loving someone else doesn’t mean not doing what’s right. My life is in Storybrooke. If yours is in New York…” she trailed off, shaking her head as she whispered, “Maybe we should just take a break. Think about all of this.”

 

            “I don’t see why,” he whispered back, “I’m so confused, Belle.”

 

            “What are you confused about? I don’t want to move. You do. It’s not confusing,” she said sadly, feeling tears well in her eyes.

 

            “Belle-” he said, and she was beginning to walk out of the room when Neal walked in.

 

            “Guys!” he said, a huge smile on his face, “I just had the best afternoon! I totally ran into this chick on my way out of the building, so to make it up to her,  I brought a glass of wine to her apartment on the way home, ‘cause she was cute, and we totally just bonded.” Neal’s voice was strange, and Belle and Lenox eyed him warily.

 

            “Were you guys just fighting? I heard you talking when I walked in. Did I interrupt something?” he asked, waving his hand between the two of them.

 

            “It’s a bit early to be drunk,” Belle said drily.

 

            “Not drunk! Just had a few glasses of wine.. then she found some tequila in her cabinet. She kept asking about my dad,” he said, his face twisting with sudden confusion.

           

            “What?” Lenox asked, his eyes widening.

           

            “Which neighbor did you visit, exactly?” Belle asked, dreading his response.

 

            “Wendy. Wendy Daaarling,” he cooed. “She’s the darlingest… But she kept asking about my dad and you, Belle, which was weird, but I just told her all I knew,” he shrugged.

 

            “Damn,” Belle heard Lenox whisper. Belle shook her head, leaving the room and grabbing her purse from the coat closet. “Lenox,” she said, her voice cracking, “I’m going to my dad’s house for a while.”

 

            “Belle,” he said, “Don’t go. Don’t leave like this.”

 

            “I need space. You’re not ready to give me any,” she said, turning away from his outstretched hand.

 

            She slipped out the front door, and held back her tears until she had rounded the corner.

 


	13. Reconciliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After talking to her father, Belle makes a brave choice about her future with Lenox.

She knew leaving had been a mistake the second she rounded the corner, but she couldn’t go back. Belle needed a night away from her life with Lenox, a night to figure out exactly where her future was headed. She hadn’t grabbed a jacket, and the frosty air nearly paralyzed her as she quickly moved to her car, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes.

 

The drive to Storybrooke was familiar. Belle kept the radio on an acoustic channel, gently tapping her hand on the steering wheel along to the rhythms. At first, she tried to ignore the replaying memory of her fight with her boyfriend, but it was impossible not to think about. If you thought about something enough, it almost didn’t seem real - had he been mad, or sad? Did he really say he wanted to marry her? They’d only been dating for what, four months? Why the hell had Neal been drunk at 7pm?

 

When she got to her father’s house, Belle wanted nothing more than to curl up in his spare bedroom and cry, then put aside her weakness and figure out the brave thing to do. The door was unlocked, and Belle stepped in slowly, not wanting to scare him.

 

“Dad?” she said, entering his living room. Her father was lying on his couch, watching some crime drama series.

 

“Belle,” he said, not sounding surprised to see her.

 

She sat down on a loveseat across from him. “Your door wasn’t unlocked, dad.”

 

Maurice sat up, shrugging. “There’s virtually no crime in Storybrooke. Have you been crying?”

 

Belle sighed, then said “yes”. Her body felt drained from the emotional turmoil she was putting it through. There was silence for a moment, and Belle felt like the walls were going to cave in around her. “Don’t you want to know why I’m here?” she asked, shifting in her chair.

 

Infuriatingly, her father shrugged again. “I expect you’ll tell me,” he said.

 

“Maybe I won’t,” Belle replied, feeling flighty. “Maybe I’ll go to Ruby’s house, and someday, you’ll think, why didn’t I talk to my daughter that one night?”

 

“I expect,” her father said again, trailing off, then looking her right in the eyes. “I expect you and that boyfriend of yours had a fight.”

 

Belle bit her lip, then nodded.

 

“A big one?” her father asked.

 

Another nod.

 

“And now you’re here to try and see if it’s worth fighting for.”

 

Belle nodded again, and Maurice patted the seat next to him. “Come here, Isabella.”

 

She obeyed, and her father put his arm around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder, then said, “He wants to move to New York, dad.”

 

Maurice sighed. “I knew he would ask,” he revealed. “He talked to me about it when I was over for Thanksgiving.”

 

“And what did you tell him?” Belle asked, moving her head away from her father’s shoulder to face him.

 

“I said you’d resist, but you’d give way eventually,” her dad said with a wry smile.

 

“Dad!” Belle said, pushing his shoulder gently. “How could I leave Storybrooke? I mean, you’re here, Emma’s here, my life is here....” she trailed off, her reasons seeming infinitely smaller by the minute.

 

“C’mon, Isabella, let’s go make some tea and talk it over,” her dad replied, and they headed to the kitchen.

 

After a pot of strong, black tea was brewed, it was silent for a moment as they both sipped their coffee. Belle had checked her phone, and Lenox had only called once. Neal had called three times. Her heart skipped a bit at her background, still the photo of her and Lenox at the gala.

 

“He really loves you,” Maurice began, and Belle looked up from her phone screen to look at her father. “I could tell at Thanksgiving. I wasn’t sure, what with the way you met and the fact he’s hardly close to your age -” Belle bristled at the age remark. It had really never bothered her.

 

“But I saw it in his eyes whenever he talked about you. The glow. The easy way he’d put his arm around you, how he’d watch you whenever you were talking. Carefully, like you’re something he didn’t want to break. Loving. He was loving.”

 

Belle felt a bit choked up suddenly, replying softly, “Yeah.”

 

“I think it would be a mistake to end it over an issue like moving,” Maurice said. “That’s my final opinion, darling.”

“I just, I guess… overreacted,” Belle admitted. “But change is never easy, and it’s so easy to keep pretending I can just always be the same. But maybe a move wouldn’t be bad.”

 

“I think it would do you good. See the world, like you wanted to do as a girl,” he said, reaching over and tapping her nose like he used to do when she was little.

 

“Not an immediate move. Maybe after Emma has her baby,” Belle said.

 

“Do what’s best,” he said. “Now, it’s late. I’m going to bed. You’re welcome to use the guest room,” her father continued, kissing her cheek before leaving the kitchen.

 

Belle took a deep breath. It was time to stop ignoring what she knew in her heart, and time to jump into a new future.

 

\---

 

The drive to the Gold’s Inc. building downtown felt like a million miles. Belle’s hands were clammy, and she kept swallowing, feeling nauseous. She parked, looking up at the top of the building where she knew Lenox was. Belle hadn’t called, hoping to catch him off-guard so he wouldn’t be too firm in his opinions before she even stepped in the door.

 

The ride to the top floor was unusually quiet. The co-workers who normally smiled at her because she was normally with Lenox gave her curious looks. When she got to his office, Belle hoped to find a friendly, reassuring face from Ariel. Ariel’s smile faltered instead.

 

“Oh, Belle, Lenox didn’t say you were-”

 

“This isn’t planned,” Belle explained, nervously pushing her hair behind her ears. “It’s, uh, a surprise.”

 

Ariel’s mouth twisted. “There’s a big deal happening today, he said no visitors.”

 

Belle leaned forward. A few people were in Lenox’s waiting room, but she didn’t want them to hear her dilemma. “Ariel,” she said, “Please. We had a fight last night, I just want to-”

 

The office door opened, and Lenox was walking out, talking to someone on the phone. His eye’s caught Belle’s, and he nearly dropped the phone from his hand, ending the call. Belle was reminded once again of how handsome he was in his fancy work suits, momentarily distracted by his looks to forget they had just had a fight the previous night.

 

“Ariel,” he said, walking over to the receptionist’s desk, “Cancel my 11am.”

 

“But Regina said-”

 

“I don’t care what Regina said, Ariel,” he said firmly.

 

Lenox looked at Belle again, then nodded his head towards his door. She followed, crossing her arms over her chest. He sat down at his desk, and she took a seat opposite him.

 

“I feel like we’re in a meeting together,” Belle said, her voice fakely cheery.

 

“Belle,” he began, taking a deep breath and running his hands through his hair. “I want to say that I asked too much of you, I shouldn’t have pressured you and looked at houses -”

 

“No,” Belle cut him off, “I should be apologizing, not you. I overreacted. It was so stupid of me to leave like that, immature, even. I’m so sorry.”

 

They were nervously watching each other, waiting on the other to say something. Belle said softly, deciding to say the brave thing, “I will move with you, Lenox. To New York.”

 

He looked at her sharply. “You will?” he said, his voice thick with disbelief.

 

“Yes,” she said, nodding her head, “But there’s a condition.”

 

“A condition?”

 

“We will move together in one year,” she said, holding up one finger. “After Emma has had her baby, and I can ensure my dad is taking care of himself.”

 

“A year,” he repeated, biting his lip. “I can work with that.”

 

“Are you sure?” Belle asked, “I know it’s a lot to ask for you to keep commuting all over, but I feel like it’s better, and I can-”

 

“Belle,” he said softly, “I’m sure.” Lenox extended his hand to meet Belle’s and she squeezed his hand. They were both smiling now, and Lenox’s phone began to ring. He read the caller ID, picked up the phone, and hung it up immediately.

 

“Didn’t want to talk to them?” Belle asked, her eyebrows raising.

 

Lenox rolled his eyes. “No. You know, they say that three to four percent of all CEOs are insane,” he said, rubbing his temples.

 

“I’ve heard that one,” Belle said with a serious nod, “But I’ve also heard that seventy-three percent of statistics are made up on the spot.”

 

She winked, and he began to laugh. “What would I do without you, Belle? In all seriousness, I love you,” he said, his voice gentle.

 

“And I love you, too,” Belle said, “And I can’t wait to see what our future holds.”  She stood from her chair and moved towards his. She had thought he would stand up, but instead he reached for her arms, pulling her to sit in his lap.

 

“It’s gonna be like this?” she asked, her face dangerously close to his, adjusting herself so her legs were swung over one side of the chair.

 

“Yes,” he said lightly. Lenox had one arm around her back and moved one to cup the side of her face, kissing her. Belle felt like she was melting, moving her hand through his hair and falling more and more into her desires as their lips kept going at it with a passion, and she felt herself gasp as he began to move his lips down the side of her jaw to her neck. Surely there were rules against this in the damn workplace, but Belle wasn’t in any kind of mood to protest.

 

Her eyes were closed, but suddenly they were opened as the door swung open loudly. “I cannot believe you would hang up on me,” a loud voice snapped, and Lenox and Belle both froze. “Oh my god, are you two seriously doing this? Right here?”

 

Belle moved quickly off Lenox, standing up, pulling her wrinkled shirt down. “Hi, Ms. Mills,” she squeaked, feeling her cheeks turn as red as a tomato. She looked over at Lenox, who seemed like he was laughing as he stood from the chair they had just been making out in.

 

“Regina,” he said, “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

 

The woman rolled her eyes. “Some of us are doing our jobs, not making out with our girlfriends,” she hissed. “There’s a big problem you need to know about.”

 

“Big problem?” Lenox said, “The Hawaii thing? I’m about to sign off.”

 

“No,” Regina said, and Belle felt like the woman was gloating somehow. “It's picking up on the gossip websites. It’s got to do with her,” she said, pointing at Belle. Regina handed Lenox her phone, and his eyes quickly scanned over whatever he was holding.

 

“Do you recall Neal’s friend Wendy?” he asked, his voice unreadable. Lenox turned to look at Belle, handing her the phone as she read the article.

 

There was a photo of Lenox and Belle walking hand-in-hand out of the Gold building from a month earlier - there must’ve been a paparazzi neither of them had seen -  and a photo of them from the gala with a credit to Belle’s personal Facebook page.

 

**_CEO lets feelings affect decisions?_ **

****

_Lenox Gold, CEO of Gold’s Inc. Department Stores, began dating Belle French, a former employee of Gold’s Inc. in August. A source close to the pair reveals that French was up for a promotion when she met Gold, but turned it down and quit her position within the company. French, a resident of Storybrooke, Illinois, moved in with Gold shortly afterwards. The position French was up for was filled by Jefferson Hatter, who did not apply for the job._

_“I think Hatter got it because he was close to French,” an anonymous employee reveals. “It’s really unfair that she [French] gets Gold to do whatever she wants. It’s like he doesn’t care about the good of the company.”_

_French and Gold attended Gold’s company’s annual gala together in September. Gold’s Inc. abruptly ended their contract with spokeswoman Cora Milhouse (a former flame of Gold himself) which was announced at the gala, and employees report Belle likely had something to do with it._

_“I just don’t think she wants Gold with any other woman. She’s so possessive,” the source from the company explained. There’s very little public information on French, but a source close to the pair said that their relationship had recently hit a few speed bumps._

_“I fully expect them to recover,” he said, “once they both see the light.”_

_Does this trouble have to do with Belle wanting to take control of the company? Is multi-millionaire Lenox Gold under the influence of his young girlfriend? Is the company in trouble? More to follow on this developing story…_

  
  


Belle looked up, handing the phone back to Regina and shifting her attention to Lenox, who looked like the wheels in his mind were furiously turning. To Regina, he said, “Get everyone from PR in Meeting Room B. I’m talking to them in five minutes.” His voice was low and firm, and Belle realized it must be his “work” voice. She hadn’t ever really heard him use it.

 

“Got it,” she said. “Want me to field calls from the press?”

 

“No comment until I’ve had two seconds to think,” Lenox said, beginning to pace. Regina exited swiftly, and Belle felt like Lenox might’ve forgotten she was there. “Right around Christmas, un-be-liev-able,” he muttered. “Damned reporters.”

 

“Do you - do you want me to go?” she asked softly, and his head snapped up from staring at the floor.

 

“What? Oh. No. You can come to the meeting, if you want to,” he said.

 

“I don’t know that I’d be much help,” Belle admitted.

 

“Okay, love, how about this. You will go to the meeting, because I need you there,” Lenox said, reaching to hold her hand. He smiled at her. “We’ll go through this like we’ll go through everything - together.”


	14. Crisis Averted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The scandal is resolved within a few hours, and Belle and Lenox look forward to the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I hope you haven't forgotten about this story. I started the process of applying to college and my writing had to take a seat for a while. I sat down and planned the chapters for the rest of this story. It's going to have 4-6 more chapters, depending where the characters take what I have planned for them. I'm going to solely write this story and try to get the chapters out on a regular basis. Thank you for sticking with me, I hope you enjoy their return.

The meeting room was a flurry of motion, the rapid clicking of keyboard keys, swiping of tablets, and multiple conversations happening between various people she’d never seen. When they’d first walked into the room together, all eyes had landed on Belle, then the employees returned to their hushed debates. Lenox had joined one girl standing with an iPad quickly, looking over something with her, and  Regina was directing a few people on phone calls to hold off on making a statement. Belle hesitantly pulled out a chair from the long meeting desk, smoothing her skirt as she sat down.

“Tell them the majority of my department heads are women, and that my personal life in no way affects my business,” she heard Lenox saying, “and I want whoever made the false statements about Belle to be fired, immediately.”

Belle blanched, looking down at her manicured fingers. She didn’t like being the cause of so much trouble, and being the topic of conversation for people who knew nothing about her.

“Ma’am?” someone asked, gently touching her shoulder.

“Yes?” Belle said suddenly, startled. She must not have heard this person, who had clearly been trying to get her attention. It was a young girl, with wide brown eyes and a moony look. 

“Do you want some water, Ms. French? Or a coffee?”

“Oh,” Belle said, glancing around the room. Nobody was watching her, but she felt strange ordering something from this girl. “I’m okay,” she said firmly, giving the girl a tight-lipped smile.

“I’ll bring you a water anyway,” the girl said decidedly, walking out of the room easily, not bumping into even one of the many smartly-dressed employees. Within moments she returned, sitting down next to Belle and handing her a water bottle.

“You look stressed,” she said. “I’m Astrid. I’m Regina’s assistant, but she told me to keep an eye on you.”

“Did she think I was going to burn the building down?” Belle asked, shooting a glance at the woman in question. 

Astrid shrugged. “No,” she replied simply.

Belle didn’t reply, uncapping the water bottle and taking a long sip. She didn’t realize how thirsty she was. Or hungry. She had kind of planned on going to lunch with Lenox, not sitting in one of his meeting rooms and watching him work. It was actually kind of attractive to watch him direct and have so many people listening to him, to see him be the CEO of his company.

“I don’t think you did anything wrong, if you’re worried. Mr. Gold always does what he thinks is best, he doesn’t really care if people like it or not,” Astrid said quietly, following Belle’s pointed staring at Lenox.

“Thanks,” Belle said softly, “and I guess that normally works out for him.”

“Normally,” Astrid agreed thoughtfully, crossing her legs. “I’m sure he’ll have it resolved within an hour or so.”

Lenox caught Belle’s eye, walking towards her swiftly. “Sweetheart, do you think the ‘source close to the pair’ was Neal?” Lenox said, standing behind her chair.

She looked up at him. “Yes. Probably said something while he was drunk.”

“Excellent,” Lenox said, his voice dry. He kissed the top of her head, mumbling something about having to ground his grown son before a man holding a cell phone handed it to him. He turned away, motioning that he’d return in a minute. Belle wished she could do more to help, but she was realizing public relations were not her strong suit, and that she would’ve just told every nosey reporter to just leave them alone. 

“Gold, stocks are still fine, and I think we’ve squashed any major business news outlet from running the story,” Regina said from across the room, and Lenox nodded, running his hands through his hair.

He cleared his throat loudly. hanging up on whoever he was talking to, and the motion of the room suddenly halted. “You all are off for the rest of the day. Great work today. Ms. Mills, stay behind.”

The stressed energy of the room evaporated, and everyone shuffled out, smiles on their faces from a small crises handled. Belle watched, unsure if she should leave or not. Astrid had shot out of the room immediately (probably making sure Regina couldn’t deny her the day off), and most everyone had trailed out. She shifted, rising from her seat.

“Not so fast, Ms. French,” Lenox said, walking towards her. “I want to talk to you, too.”

Belle smiled, putting her hands on his chest. “Is that so, Mr. Gold?” she asked, her voice airy. 

He smirked, but before he could reply, Regina coughed loudly.

“What did you need to say, Gold?”

“I need you to fire Zelena Verde,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at Regina, who frowned. “I just confirmed with a source that she’s the one who gave the disparaging comments.”

Belle shuttered at the memory of that woman. She didn’t normally want to physically punch someone, but she had thought about it at the gala. Instead, she had opted to fight her bitterness with a sickly sarcastic kindness, and she was thankful Zelena didn’t know where she lived. Getting that woman out of the company door was a relief. 

Regina started to protest, but Lenox shrugged. “She can leave, or you can, for not doing as I asked.”

The dark haired woman glared for a moment, her shoulders slumping as she accepted defeat. “Some days I think I ought to leave,” she muttered, “But her desk will be cleared by tomorrow morning. And just before Christmas, Mr. Scrooge.”

“Thank you,” he said, watching as she left the meeting room with her arms crossed over chest, her displeasure not hidden.  He had ignored her Mr. Scrooge comment.

“She’s an… odd one,” Belle said, after a moment of silence as they watched Regina walk down the hall, not sure how to describe her feelings on the woman.

“She’s a lot like me,” Lenox replied, and Belle frowned. She could hardly see the similarities between the cold woman with the forever displeased disposition and her rather easygoing boyfriend.

“How so?”

“Very determined in what she believes and wants,” he said, his hand cupping the side of her face as he kissed her cheek quickly. “I’m just more relaxed about it at home than I am here.”

“And you know what you want, then,” Belle asked, tilting her head.

“I.. see a path for myself, definitely,” he said, taking her hands with his as he took a step backward, leaning on the table.

“And what path is that?” she asked, her voice light. He looked down at her, his brown eyes filled with warmth.

“The one where you and I are together, of course,” he said. Quickly, Belle leaned up on her tiptoes, her body pressed dangerously close to his as her arm wrapped around his neck, their lips meeting slowly and all at once. She found herself making out with her boyfriend at work for the second time that day, and loving every second of it without a bit of guilt. His words had implied that his ideal future would be spent with her, and she couldn’t help but wholeheartedly hope he was right. There was nothing standing in their way anymore, their dumb fight resolved and Lenox’s job doing well. The door creaked open, and Belle jumped backward, licking her lips guiltily as Astrid hurriedly walked in.

“The walls are glass,” Astrid squeaked, “but I left my phone in here. Don’t stop because of me, by all means, it’s a free country and I just -” before she couldn’t finish her sentence, she’d already retrieved her device and walked out of the room.

Belle’s hands were covering her face, and when she peeked through her fingers at Lenox, his face was one of amusement mixed with shame. “We’ve got to stop doing this here,” he whispered, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her towards him. “People are really going to start talking.”

From the corner of her eye, Belle could see Ariel pretending she was getting ready to leave for the day, her eyes shooting back to the couple a few times as she buttoned her jacket. Belle caught her gaze, raising an eyebrow and Ariel blushed, then stuck out her tongue. Belle smirked, looking back at Lenox. Their in-office public displays of affection really needed to be put to rest.

“I’m sorry about that,” Belle said quietly. He looked at her questioningly, and she sighed. “The rumors and stuff.  I hate that I caused you stress like that.”

Lenox shrugged. “It was really just a disgruntled employee and a reporter desperate for a story. All in a day’s work.”

“I guess,” Belle said, biting her lip. She still felt guilty in a way, but if he wasn’t worried, then she shouldn’t worry either. Her stomach suddenly growled, and Lenox chuckled. 

“Do you want to go get a late lunch, Belle? When’d you have breakfast?” he asked, eyeing the clock on the wall. It was late afternoon, and Belle had arrived in the morning to the building.

“I spent the night at my dad’s,” she explained quietly, “I think I ate half of an apple. I was so worried about what would happen when I came to see you.”

He made a scolding noise, gently directing her towards the door. “You didn’t need to be.”

“I know that now,” Belle said, “But if I don’t go a full day without worrying about something, it’s not a full day.”

He laughed, shaking his head gently. “Let’s go to lunch, love.”

“Only if you promise to hold my hand the whole way there,” she said, squeezing his hand in hers. 

“Now that’s a deal I can get behind,” he said warmly, walking hand-in-hand with her out of the room and to a waiting valet.  Belle checked her phone in the car, seeing that her bridesmaids group text was filled with activity. Emma was panicking that the florist was going to pull out at the last minute, and Leo had spit up on the gloves Mary Margaret had been planning on wedding. Ruby was debating if she needed to bring a date, and Belle quickly typed out her reassurances to Emma, her apologies to Mary Margaret, and an eyes-rolling emoji to Ruby. 

“Do you have your suit for the wedding, babe?” she asked, glancing at Lenox. She’d sent him in the color scheme for the wedding in an e-mail. It was actually going to be pretty relaxed, and Belle was almost certain Killian was going to wear khakis and not a formal suit.

“Of course,” he said. “And I can’t wait to spend our first Christmas together.”

Belle’s stomach filled with dread. She suddenly realized she had no idea what to get the man who had everything for Christmas.  For the past few years, she’d just alternated restaurant locations for gift cards for her friends. Her father got whatever kitchen equipment he asked for. 

She and Will had never bought things for each other, just as a general rule. Lenox probably had something grand planned, and she was sitting wondering if an iTunes gift card was an okay gift. He liked music, right? Everyone liked music. That would be such a pathetic gift for him, like she didn’t really know him at all. 

Exhaling slowly, Belle watched snow fall onto the street outside the car window. She still had a few days to figure it out. It would be okay. 

“Yeah,” she replied, finally, “I’m excited, too.”


	15. A Christmas Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Killian get married. Lenox and Belle exchange wedding gifts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry for the delay in updating this story, but real life kept me busy and inspiration was low. I hope you all enjoy my return to writing this story!

Christmas arrived, and for the first time in several years, Belle actually cared. She woke up before Lenox, careful not to disturb him as she got out of bed. Dancing around the kitchen in her pajamas, she turned the radio low, playing festive music as she made a stack of pancakes.

Lenox walked in right as she finished setting the table, watching her admiringly as she set the syrup down on the table next to their two plates.

“Typical of you to walk in right when I’m done with all the work,” Belle said with a small smirk, cozying into the embrace he greeted her with.

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” he whispered, a twinkle in his eye. 

“Merry Christmas, Lenox,” Belle replied, “Let’s eat, and then we have to get going to the wedding.”

Breakfast was a peaceful affair, and Lenox kept smiling at her like he had a secret - and knowing him, he probably did. He took over cleaning while Belle gathered her things to go. Emma had hired someone to do the bridesmaid’s hair and makeup, and her dress would be waiting at the church. Neither Killian nor Emma were hugely religious, but their ceremony would take place in the tiny white chapel on the corner of town, and the reception would take place a few miles away at an old barn that mostly functioned for large events.

After arriving at the church, Belle was rushed to a private back room by Ingrid, Emma’s adoptive mother, where Ruby and Mary Margaret were already getting their make-up done.

“I haven’t felt this pampered in  _ ages _ ,” Mary Margaret said, staring at her reflection in the mirror as the girl - her name tag simply said ‘Tink’ - dusted blush on Mary Margaret’s cheeks. Ruby’s had was extended as someone colored her nails a soft blue color, and a women pointed Belle to a chair, combing her long hair out.

“Do you want it curly or straight, dear?” she asked, “I’m Gwen.”

Belle looked over at Ruby, whose normal curls were being straightened paper-thin. “Let’s go curly,” she said decidedly, and the woman nodded. When Belle’s hair was about half-way done, Tink began to work on Belle’s face, transitioning her all-natural look to a more sophisticated, elegant look with a rose-colored lipstick and smoky eyeshadow.

The chatter in the room was light and easy, everyone excited for the day’s events. They’d squealed in unison when Killian had walked by, stopping outside their door to wink at the girls and ask if they’d seen Emma yet.

“Not yet,” Ruby cried, “And you can’t either, not until the wedding.”

It was like magic. A few moments after Killian had gone away, Emma appeared in the  doorframe. Belle gasped - her best friend looked radiant. Her hair was done in loose waves around her shoulders, complete with a floral crown hanging on her head. Her dress was long, white and lacy, and her baby bump was barely noticeable. 

“You look angelic,” Belle said, standing to meet her friend in the doorway. “Absolutely radiant.”

“You really think so?” Emma said, and Belle nodded.

“Don’t make me cry, I’ll ruin my makeup,” Emma said, bringing a hand to cover to her perfectly made-up face.

“I love you,” Belle whispered, giving Emma a tight hug. Ruby and Mary Margaret joined in, and they stayed like that for a moment, before Ingrid came in and reminded them on they would stand on the stage, and who they were walking with. They’d gone over all of it at the rehearsal dinner, but Ingrid was still a nervous mother, pacing the halls in-between giving orders to the people helping with the wedding. 

Belle walked onto the stage with Killian’s cousin at her side, catching Lenox’s eye as he sat in the audience and grinning at him. The ceremony was over before Belle knew it, and she could proudly say she only teared up once, when Emma and Killian said their vows to each other. After their procession out the door, Belle met up with Lenox for the drive to the reception.

“You look stunning,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

“Thank you,” she replied, “you don’t look half bad yourself.”

He drove with one hand on the wheel and one hand holding hers, and they sang along to the holiday music on the radio. Lenox helped her out of the car, making a playful comment about the high heels she was wearing, and she rolled her eyes at him.

Belle was in awe when they arrived at the barn - Ingrid and her friends had completely transformed it. The barn walls were covered with fairy lights, giving just the right amount of glow to the room. The tables were dressed subtly with lacy tablecloths and classy floral centerpieces. “It’s beautiful,” she breathed, finding her place at the table, right next to Emma. Since Lenox wasn’t in the wedding party, he was seated at a table with some of Killian’s extended family. Dinner was served promptly after Liam Jones gave quite a funny speech, and Belle ate quickly, wanting to join Lenox at his table.

The night was dizzying, the open bar not neglected by the party-goers of legal age. Everyone was dancing, even Lenox, though he took a bit of coaxing, insisting he wasn’t any good. It was a lie, of course, but Belle didn’t begrudge him when he sat out after a few hours, the pain in his ankle bothering him. She silently cursed herself, she should’ve reminded him to take a pain reliever an hour ago. He had made a comment about giving her her Christmas present at the end of the night, but the fact that it was Christmas Day kept slipping her mind.

As things begin to wind down, Emma and Killian began making their rounds, giving their guests their best before they headed to the airport to begin their honeymoon adventure.

“Belle,” Emma said warmly, her makeup still somehow unsmudged, a perfect bride. She embraced her best friend again, and Belle shifted back, looking for Lenox. He was gone, but he had just been at her side. Killian gave her a hug, but she was scanning the room, looking for him.

“I think you should go outside, love,” Killian said, quirking an eyebrow.

“What? I’m trying to find Lenox, I’m sure he’ll want to say goodbye-”

“Belle,” Emma said, reaching Belle’s hand, squeezing it gently. “Go outside.”

She was confused, but she obeyed her friend’s orders. Looking behind her, she saw Emma’s head resting on Killian’s shoulder, a bright smile on her face. She made a shoo-ing motion, and Belle laughed, heading out of the barn and walking onto the gravel path.

Lenox was waiting for her, facing away. It was a full moon, and the sky was clear. He turned, hearing her heels crunch on the dirt. A slight smile on his face, his hands folded in front of him. “Hey,” she said quietly, her arms folded over her chest. “One minute you were next to me, and you were gone the next.”

His smile remained, not answering her question.

“Don’t you want to say goodbye to Emma and Killian?” Belle asked, turning her head, looking back at the glow coming from the open barn doors, then looking back at him.

“I will later,” he said with a shrug. “I have to ask you something first.”

His voice was very quiet, suddenly serious. Belle’s eyes widened, her mouth dropping as he got down on one knee, realizing exactly what he was doing. “Isabella French,” he began, slowly. “We met on an airplane a few months ago. I had no idea how much one flight would change my life.”

She felt tears welling up in her eyes as he continued.

“I love you, more than I knew I could love someone. You’ve made me a better person, and there’s nobody else I want to wake up next to for the rest of my life. I know we’ve only known each other a short time, but I’ve never been more sure of anything. If you’ll have me, would you…”

“Yes!” Belle practically shouted, falling on her knees to be eye-level with him. “Yes, of course!” 

He laughed. “Let me finish, Belle.”

“Fine,” she said, biting her lip, wanting nothing more than to kiss him silly. 

Lenox fumbled for a moment, pulling a ring box from his suit coat pocket. “Would you marry me?” he asked, opening the box, producing a simple silver band with a gorgeous diamond in the center.

“Yes,” she said simply, letting him put the ring on her finger before kissing him, feeling wonderful and light, even though snow was beginning to fall. When they split up, Belle couldn’t help but giggle.

“What’s funny?” he asked, helping her to her feet, holding her hand as they walked back to the party.

“I ruined my dress. And for Christmas, you gave me an engagement ring, and I signed us up for a cooking class, of all things.”

“A cooking class?” He sounded amused.

“It seemed fun at the time, there’s a lot of talk about wine in the description, I don’t know…” Belle trailed off. “I have the certificate for it in my purse.”

“It’ll be fun,” Lenox assured her, stepping back into the party.

Ruby was waiting by the door. “That took ages! Did she say yes?” she said, glancing at Belle’s hand. “Oh my god, you guys, she said yes!”

Belle held up her hand, flashing her engagement ring, realizing all her close friend’s and their significant others were waiting for them. They must have known all day that he was going to propose, and nobody had spilled a word. 

“Time to get the party re-started before we have to go,” Killian said, summoning a waiter and distributing champagne to the everyone but Emma, who took a water.

Belle clinked her glass with Lenox’s. “To us,” she said quietly. 

“To us,” he agreed.


	16. Bliss

_\- Six months later -_

Wedding planning, it seemed, was a full-time job. Lenox had offered to hire the most respected wedding planner available for the special day, but Belle refused, deciding to do all the organization herself. She took a semester off school after completing her first one, intending to go back after the wedding and the month-long vacation Lenox had planned for their honeymoon.

While Lenox had already been married once, in what he described as a “poorly done rush job” of a wedding, he told Belle she was welcome to do whatever he pleased. He would just show up where she asked him to show up, wearing whatever she wanted him to wear. She raised an eyebrow at that, challenging her suit-loving fiancé to wear jeans and t-shirt to their wedding. He simply shook his head and rolled his eyes, and she directed him on how to order the tie she actually wanted him to wear to their wedding.

Although she’d been lucky enough to have the funds to go as glamorous as she wanted, Belle decided she would prefer a smaller wedding. An evening outdoor wedding, set just outside the Storybrooke woods, with chairs set up for friends and family to sit. Instead of a traditional dress, Belle had found a vintage white jacket and cloche hat and inspiration followed from there on what to do. In her closet, she had a see-through sweater, a white skirt, and a lacy white bra that only Lenox would see, as she planned to wear the coat throughout the ceremony. She would change into a normal white dress for the reception to be held at the Storybrooke town hall, and then back into the wedding outfit as they headed off for their first night as man and wife.

Lenox wanted to be a hands-off groom as much as possible, he quite enjoyed testing the cake with her. They’d agreed on a rich chocolate cake with creamy vanilla icing, after much debate and many, many helpings of the sample cakes. Instead of tiny figurines, they were going to have a tiny modeling chocolate airplane, a symbol of their first meeting.

It was a week before the wedding, and Belle was sitting on their couch, lounging in sweatpants as she went over confirmations and plans. She checked her color-coded notebook, glancing back and forth between the laptop screen and the list.

She never confirmed the floral arrangements.  _ Fuck.  _ Just as she was going to hit dial for the florist on her cell phone, she heard the door open. “Babe, you’re home early,” she said, watching Lenox walk in, a package in his hands. “I think I forgot to confirm the flowers.”

“Don’t panic,” he said, sitting down next to her.

“I can’t walk down the aisle without flowers!” Belle said, more irritated than she should be. She had yet to have a bridezilla meltdown and felt she was overdue. “And we need flowers for the centerpieces, and the bridesmaids, and…”

He stopped her, cupping her face with his hand, kissing her soundly.

Belle pouted when they broke apart. “I don’t think kissing me can bring the flowers to our wedding.”

“Look what I have,” he said, reaching for the package he’d set on the coffee table. She’d forgotten he’d walked in with it. Belle squinted, reading the tracking label.  _ Australia. _

She gasped in wonder. “Do you think it’s-” 

“One way to find out,” he said, ripping open the carefully taped package. Inside, buried under packing peanuts and safety styrofoam, there was a ring box.

Belle breathed out slowly, watching as Lenox took the box out carefully. He opened it, presenting it to her, and Belle felt her eyes fill with tears. “My mother’s wedding ring,” she said, gently taking it out and admiring it. The ring was vintage, even for her mother’s time, covered in glittering diamonds. It had been passed around family members after her mother’s death, somehow ending up with an aunt in Melbourne. She’d offered to send it to Belle when she saw the news of her engagement on Facebook.

Lenox put his arm around her as she stared at it, suddenly desperately wishing her mother could see her get married. Collette would have loved Lenox, and would have loved to help Belle plan her wedding. Belle wiped away a sudden tear, placing the ring back in the box, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Freaking out about flowers seems kind of silly when I see stuff like this.”

“She’d be so proud of you, Belle,” Lenox said. “And I’ll handle the flowers. Send me the names of the kinds you want, and I’ll get it arranged. I have a guy.”

Belle pretended to be annoyed, rolling her eyes. “I forgot, you have a guy for  _ everything _ .”

He kissed her temple. “Crisis averted, sweetheart.”

\---

Belle had Ruby, Emma, and Mary Margaret as her bridesmaids, but unfortunately, Emma’s newborn daughter Hope was too little to be a flower girl. They took Belle out for one fun weekend at a cabin on Lake Michigan right before Emma was due, which was an adventure in itself. Ruby had begun seriously dating a man named Victor Whale, and Mary Margaret joked that in a few months, they’d be doing the same bridesmaid thing over for Ruby. Belle wouldn’t wish for her crazy friends to be any other way. 

\--- 

After getting engaged and announcing he wanted to take Belle on the honeymoon of all honeymoons, Lenox had surgery to repair the ankle that had been bothering him for years. He endured the few months of physical therapy required after the reparative surgery. Belle served as his gentle home nurse, even when he was cranky right after surgery. He wanted to be as physically fit as possible so he wouldn’t prevent them from seeing absolutely everything there was to see in Europe, South America, and Asia. 

Neal had reacted well to the news of his father’s engagement, which pleased both Belle and Lenox. It was strange to think she would be a step-mother to a son her age, but she jokingly told Neal he could only call her “mum” on holidays. After their honeymoon, the newlyweds planned to move to New York, where Belle could continue school and Lenox could oversee his company.

\---

The wedding went off without a hitch. It was a perfect June evening, somehow cool with the perfect level of a breeze. They were married just as the sun began to set. Ruby and Mary Margaret had outdone themselves by hanging twinkling lights on the trees and the chairs. The flowers, sure enough, had arrived right on time. By the end of the vows, there was not a dry eye in the crowd. The reception was catered by the Italian place Lenox had wanted to go to for their first date, though Belle teased him about getting Taco Shack catering.

When the priest finally told Lenox to kiss his bride, he had never felt happier in his entire life. Belle felt the same way later that night at the hotel they were spending a night at before boarding the first of many airplanes they would take on this trip. All in all, the newlyweds felt overwhelmingly lucky and in love. It was the perfect start to their lives together.

 


	17. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took me two years to end this story, but I hope the ending does it justice.

_\- Three Years Later -_  

**People Magazine Exclusive:** Ex-CEO Sets A New Course: Family, Charity, and More.

* * *

 

_ Lenox Gold welcomed us warmly to his Chicago loft. The Gold’s home is spacious but homey, with a fantastic view at the downtown skyline. “Quiet,” he said with a wink, “We’ve just got the twins to sleep.” _

_ One month ago, Lenox and wife, Belle Gold née French, welcomed twins to the world. Lenox has one son, Neal Gold, from a previous marriage. One-month-olds Benjamin Gideon and Brooklyn Collette have just been put down to nap as we have arrived to interview the couple. Belle was recently working at Random House Publishing before giving birth, and is still deciding if she wants to return to work after her maternity leave is over. She loves books, but she loves her babies even more. _

_ “Being a mom is my favorite job,” she gushes, eagerly showing us photos of the twins.  _

_ The couple is easygoing and relaxed. The loft is already filled with photos of the newborn twins, and photos of their parents on vacations across the world.  While it seems like peace, they reveal they’re exhausted from the babies but excited to talk about what’s next for them. One year ago, Lenox Gold announced his early retirement from the department store franchise he pioneered from the ground up, Gold’s Inc. His son, Neal Gold, stepped in as CEO, while the previous head of public relations, Camille de Ville, became vice-CEO. Previous second-in-command Regina Mills left the company upon Gold’s departure. _

_ “It was just time,” Lenox said. “I’d done what I could with the company, it was time for fresh eyes to take it over.” _

_ The fresh eyes, of course, being his own son. “I did want to keep the business in the family, of course. I want Ben or Brooklyn to be able to work there one day.” _

_ “It’s family tradition,” Belle piped in. Lenox and Belle met when Belle was working at her local Gold’s Department Store as a general manager. They tell us how they met on an airplane, recounting the story of Belle realizing Lenox was her superior with laughter.  _

_ The Gold’s moved from New York City to Chicago, wanting to be closer to Belle’s home of Storybrooke, Illinois. This was perfect timing as she found out she was pregnant three months after the move. “The twins are going to be so spoiled from this view,” Belle said, motioning towards the gorgeous skyline. “But we think they’re going to love growing up here.” _

_ Instead of becoming inactive, Lenox has recently founded a charity, No Mouth Unfed, dedicated to ending world hunger. “I know how to run a company,” Lenox said, “And I want to use those skills for good. Obviously, I’m going to take a small pause while the babies are young, but it will be up and running under the management of Mulan Yang (another previous Gold’s Inc. employee) during my absence.”  _

_ While Lenox and Belle pause their careers to be parents, they could not be happier. These two are dedicated to living their lives to the fullest, on their way to helping the lives of many. There’s clearly a happy ending in store for this fairytale-like romance.  _


End file.
